ã€ŠDreams of Imahkenã€‹


 A flooded valley in halves it dries,

    Time seemed to slow with every fraction of a second that Illus gazed hypnotically into the abyss.

    His voice shook for a syllable, ¡°Carmonia never came back from this expedition, Ani. You remember that, right?¡±

    Anilee¡¯s chirpy voice pulled his attention from the gaping sinkhole beside the trail. Her dimples, freckled cheeks, and long raven-black hair were certainly a more comforting sight than the pitch-dark trench. ¡°Carmonia also shipwrecked three times and experienced numerous mutinies. He was bold, not smart.¡± She rolled her coffee-colored eyes and slapped his arm lightly.

    Illus brushed his silvery white hair back and turned his matching eyes to the trail. ¡°Which is why I think it would be smart to exercise a little more caution here, possibly reconsider if the sinkholes worsen.¡±

    She scowled from beneath her wide-brimmed gray sunhat, wrestling her matching puffy dress from a branch. ¡°After all of this?!¡± She yelled out in frustration at the tatters in her dress doubling each day.

    ¡°Ani,¡± Illus put his hands out to calm her, ¡°I know it¡¯s frustrating, but we would both rather be alive and home than dead in ruins.¡± He leaned down to her, shrinking his lean and muscular frame in an effort to comfort her. ¡°The sinkholes are proof enough that there are likely ancient structures or tunnels beneath the ground. We¡¯re only here for basic reconnaissance, not an entire excavation. And the rainy season will be upon us, we-¡±

    She pushed past him, her high-heeled boots clumsily stepping along the slope to avoid her dress catching on the thick foliage. ¡°Are you even thinking? They¡¯re probably just caves. We haven¡¯t seen a single brick, foundation, pillar, or structure yet. These sinkholes don¡¯t prove-¡±

    Panic swarmed Anilee¡¯s fair face as her foot slid down the slope. Illus lunged out and yanked her back up the hill, both of their hearts racing while they paused to catch their breath.

    Illus smirked at her, taking the moment to rest from carrying both of their bags on his back. Having sweated through his unbuttoned tan collared shirt, he adjusted the brown trousers riding up on him. ¡°How was that for proof? Maybe we should recon-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± She pushed off of him. ¡°You¡¯re only thinking about your own worries. You¡¯re scared, I know, but I¡¯ve been waiting for this my entire life! You¡¯re making all these excuses without a care for me.¡±

    Tears threatened to pour down her cheeks, so Illus conceded, if for no other reason than to avoid worsening the already stressful situation.

    ¡°Very well. But I do care Ani, it¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°Then show me you care and keep me safe,¡± she stepped closer and clutched his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not stopping until I find Imahken.¡±

    A high-pitched whistle swiped away their attention and a young woman playfully called back to them. ¡°Do I hear love birds chirping back there?¡±

    Illus¡¯s sister Tyza poked her head out of a thicket ahead, leaves and branches caught in her silvery white mess of an overgrown pixie cut. She smirked, bouncing her eyebrows at them. The siblings shared similar features, though Tyza had brown eyes, was the shortest of the bunch, and her skin had darkened to a bronze tan over the course of the summer whereas Illus fought off a sunburn.

    The moment Anilee caught Tyza¡¯s downturned white eyes, she scowled. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m not a bird or any other type of animal. You don¡¯t need to be so demeaning.¡±

    Tyza¡¯s smile faded and her eyelids fell. ¡°How could I be so inconsiderate, Anilee? You¡¯re right. Animals are smart enough not to wear dresses in the woods.¡±

    Anilee sneered and stepped behind Illus, who silently pleaded to Tyza for some reprieve.

    Tyza whirled out her machete, hacked away the thicket she was in, and beckoned them to follow. Illus pulled the two mules and Anilee along, catching up to his sister and her husband Sator.

    Sator ran a hand over his prickly red hair, sweat misting above him. He stood a tad taller than Illus but wily and slender in build. Solar orange bits of vine and goo fell from his cheek. A mischievous grin crawled up his cheek, his exhausted verdant green eyes locked on Illus. The right side of his face emoted less, a long scar running up his cheek and through his brow.

    ¡°You two are taking forever!¡± He panted, loosely twirling his machete with a limp arm. ¡°Want me to cut those heels off, Anilee? Might help you keep up.¡±

    Anilee shook her head, a complete turnaround from how she had been with Tyza. Polite and flattered, adding a little chuckle. ¡°Thank you, but I couldn¡¯t let these boots get so damaged on purpose.¡±

    He snickered. ¡°Oh, I can make anything look like an accident, just give me the word.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to remember that.¡± She batted her eyelashes at him, very aware of Tyza¡¯s glare.

    Illus tugged the mules along and adjusted the strap of his bolt-action rifle. ¡°If only we had all these sinkholes in Trithens. We wouldn¡¯t have had to worry about them finding that bloke and leaving a trail.¡±

    ¡°Oh my stars,¡± Anilee groaned, ¡°you¡¯re so caught up on these sinkholes.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re everywhere, how could I not be?¡±

    Sator interjected. ¡°As long as we stick to the high ground, we should be fine. They¡¯re all over the place, but pretty easy to spot out. I¡¯ll just keep following the animal paths.¡±

    Anilee tapped Illus¡¯s arm and whispered to him. ¡°At least Sator knows how to be a man.¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond, just tossed the bags down upon noticing Sator and Tyza taking a seat.

    Sator caught something awry in Illus¡¯s subtly frustrated expression. ¡°How much farther?¡±

    Illus welcomed the change of subject. ¡°We should be right on top of it, or damn near.¡± He scanned the canopy and stuffed the map in his back pocket. ¡°I¡¯m going up.¡±

    With monkey-like dexterity, he climbed the tallest tree in the vicinity, stopping to examine the surroundings as soon as he broke through the canopy. A vibrant green landscape sprawled out around him, the sun waning in the hazy, humid sky. Across the vast rolling hills, he spotted a distant clearing where a tall stone stood, like a weathered obelisk. Farther off towered a lone bald-peaked mountain, and he would have sworn he saw the shape of a person atop it.

    By the time he had produced his spotter scope, nothing was there. Perhaps a trick of the eyes. No person could move that quickly.

    He took the time to orient himself, shot azimuths, made a few compass measurements, and marked their journey on the map.

    After a quarter of an hour in the tree, he climbed down and pointed slightly to the right of Sator. ¡°Our next stop should be about a mile northeast atop a hill with a big stone. Seems like it may be an old structure.¡±

    Anilee¡¯s face brightened, energizing the entire group. ¡°Only a mile more?! What are we waiting for?!¡± She pulled Illus to their bags and ushered him to bear the load once more, then put the ropes to the mules in his hands.

    Sator hacked through the underbrush for that whole mile, swinging his arm around like a wet noodle. He sighed with relief and sheathed his machete when he finally broke into a clearing.

    This region of Reckis was known for being mostly unsettled and unexplored. The trains did not reach out this far, which is why the four had to walk. Mountains, forest, and humidity marked the end of the summer season in this area.

    They emerged into the perfectly circular clearing where a tall boulder sat perfectly in the center, atop the hill.

    Anilee squinted at the stone, ¡°Hmm?¡± Then her face lit up. ¡°I think there¡¯s writing on it!¡±

    ¡°Brilliant,¡± Illus trudged forward, eager to stop and take off the bags.

    Sator halted them with a fervent whisper. ¡°Stop, stop, stop. Look atop it.¡±

    Tyza shared a glance with her husband, slowly pulling out her shortbow and urging him to do the same.

    ¡°Illus,¡± Anilee pointed, ¡°look. Isn¡¯t that fox beautiful? Is it the light or does it look blue to you too?¡±

    Illus gazed up at the silhouette atop the boulder. A slender, blue fox with black undertones in its fur sat sniffing the wind, a slight etherealness to the way its fur waved so gently in the breeze.

    ¡°That¡¯ll make for an expensive pelt.¡± Sator readied his crossbow, then a thwip and the bolt was soaring. It whistled through the air, set on a course for a direct hit. However, the whistle wasn¡¯t coming from the arrow, it came from the fox, who raised a paw and caught the bolt between two claws. A flicker of blue flame reduced the entire arrow to ash in an instant.

    Sator furrowed his brows, a dumbly confused expression creeping up his face. ¡°Huh?¡±

    Tyza flung an arrow from her shortbow, to which the fox imitated a ¡°fwoo¡± sound while the arrow twirled through the air. As the arrow was about to impact, the fox tapped the point with its claw, knocking it upward. The arrow landed fletching-down on the fox¡¯s nose. The fox flicked its head up and stuck out its tongue, balancing the arrow atop the tip of its tongue and standing upright on one foot.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Anilee clutched Tyza¡¯s arm as she let free another arrow and Sator shot another bolt.

    The bolt arrived first, knocked upward by the fox on top of the first arrow, then Tyza¡¯s second arrow, swirling through the air, missed. The fox reached out with a foot to tap it to no avail.

    Anilee hunkered down behind a tree at the sight of the fox making a show of their attacks. Suddenly the second arrow came whirling back around through the air toward Tyza. She fell backward and the arrow stuck in a tree behind her at head level. Then the fox tossed its balancing act up, kicking the bolt and arrow back toward the group. Sator hit the deck to avoid his bolt, but Tyza was already down. Illus caught a glimpse of flashing steel over his shoulder and stepped in the way, the arrow skimming his calf, setting it off course for his sister. He fell to a knee and clutched the slight wound.

    A cackle echoed through the clearing from the smiling blue fox. Illus clenched his jaw, catching the fox¡¯s devious glance before it disappeared behind the boulder.

    Tyza jumped up, digging into her pack for the first aid kit. She cleaned and wrapped his wound while Sator carefully cleared the area.

    She struggled to look into her brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Illus, I didn¡¯t think¡­ I don¡¯t know. Foxes don¡¯t do that.¡±

    Anilee scowled at her. ¡°Maybe this wouldn¡¯t have happened if you had realized that during the blue fox¡¯s blasted balancing act.¡±

    Illus caught the mixture of shame and frustration on his sister¡¯s face. ¡°Still, a retaliatory attack with an arrow that missed is¡­ not even a circus performer could do that. I don¡¯t like to entertain superstition, but I am currently at a loss for any logical explanation.¡±

    Anilee pursed her lips and grabbed Illus¡¯s arm. ¡°Well, hopefully some of your lost logic is transferable to the others.¡±

    Tyza¡¯s temper flared. ¡°Spare me the spite, Anilee!¡±

    Anilee sneered. ¡°Then maybe think before you act before you get us all killed! I carry a pistol and I¡¯ve never shot a thing because I have never wanted to. I¡¯m no bloodthirsty bar-¡±

    ¡°Ani. Ani, enough, please.¡± Illus caressed her hand and sternly glanced between them. ¡°You too, Ty. I would prefer if we dropped this and simply agreed to pause any action against the oddities in the forest.¡±

    His eyes swept over the shifting trees, whose shadows danced darker than the rest of the forest along with a pervading silence.

    Sator returned from his once-over. He tossed a long, straight branch next to Illus and stretched his arms. ¡°Nothing here except for the rock. It¡¯s got some writing on it, but I haven¡¯t checked it out yet.¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡± Anilee pulled her hat off and tugged Illus up the hill.

    Through the thick swaying grass and up the hill, they saw the sky clearly for the first time in a few days. In the distance rolled heavy, dark overcast clouds, though not moving toward them. At the top of the hill the mountain towered above the treeline. An imposing climb, but a good sign.

    Anilee scoured the stone, analyzing all four of its faces. ¡°One face is a poem, one is marked up with scrawlings, one has nothing, and the other was a back rest for our skeletal friend there.¡± She pointed to a crumbled skeleton against the unmarked surface. ¡°The poem is called ¡®The Key to Ciun¡¯ and look at that, in our language too:

    ¡®A flooded valley in halves it dries,

    Land atop ruins is where Ciun lies.

    Ye guided by foxes promising shrine

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Traverse shimmering lands labyrinthine.

    Whose world long left unsaid,

    History known only to the dead.

    Hidden faces are shade ¡®neath light

    By masks that tell more than our sight.

    Words, spoken are secrets in cipher,

    Grief, known to none other than her.

    To he who unmasks shall eternity claim

    Reward all she offers to last the same.

    He venturing these ought fear those

    Who in life seek not to be chose.

    Cherishes, these lands and all around,

    The keeper takes note of every sound.

    Love may guide thee further toward fates,

    Of truly wise mind has nothing he hates.

    Ciun of the old world you will meet soon,¡¯¡±

    Anilee pondered the poem as Illus read it from beside her. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Illus started, ¡°it is a cryptic guidestone of sorts? But the final couplet is incomplete, marked only by an empty line. What is Ciun, though?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Anilee raised her finger, ¡°Imahken is what the ruins are called in texts written by historians who read about it in the myths of the coastal native peoples that our country assimilated. It¡¯s very possible Ciun is this country or city¡¯s name of antiquity, or possibly the name of the temple.¡±

    Sator leaned down to look across Illus. ¡°So nobody really knows what Imahken, or Ciun is?¡±

    Illus half nodded. ¡°The expedition return rate is low because people like Anilee and I who research this aren¡¯t fur traders or survivalists like you, Sator. Carmonia¡¯s lead on his target, an artifact, was a line from a myth that spoke of a place in this area. The mythical Imahken.¡± He quoted something from memory. ¡°¡®Imahken the bald where it was left long ago.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯ being an unknown, sacred artifact of power.¡±

    Tyza caught up. ¡°What are the chances we even find the artifact here?¡±

    ¡°Who knows,¡± Illus pointed to different spots on his hand like a map. ¡°The artifact was last rumored to be much farther south,¡± he set a finger on his palm, then dragged it up toward his first knuckle. ¡°The nomadic native tribes only ventured to the edge of the distant mountains to our south, so little communication or correspondence would have made it even further north to unsettled areas where we are.¡± He dragged his finger from the first knuckle up to the end of his middle finger. ¡°It would make little sense for it to be here, so our expedition is more or less a shot in the dark.¡±

    Tyza¡¯s face filled with worry. ¡°And you¡¯re sure this is Imahken, not Ciun?¡±

    Illus shrugged. ¡°We pinpointed this area through hearsay and centuries old books. The mountain being bald is reassuring, if nothing else. I¡¯ve never seen any records of this particular mountain, which may be a good sign.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Anilee added, ¡°like Illus said, these ruins shouldn¡¯t span much ground, being a temple, so it will be a short trip. What do you make of the poem, Illus?¡±

    Illus shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re guessing it¡¯s a temple, a storehouse for the artifact. But as for the poem, I¡¯m at a bit of a loss. We¡¯ll have to spend some time on it tonight. It speaks of a labyrinthine area, as well as some other foreboding things. We should discern what we can to avoid being blindsided.¡±

    Tyza tossed her pack next to the stone and stretched. ¡°Well, the military¡¯s paying big for this expedition, so getting in and out with nothing huge is fine by me. That fox is sketchy, though.¡±

    Sator was practically salivating. ¡°But think about how much money they¡¯ll pay if we do bring back something valuable like that fox¡¯s pelt.¡±

    Tyza greedily snickered with him while Illus pulled free and went to the other side of the stone with Anilee. They observed the scrawlings, words that seemed to bear no connection to one another. ¡°Temple¡± was next to ¡°stone¡± and ¡°feather¡± was surrounded by ¡°climb,¡± ¡°cackle,¡± and ¡°mirage.¡± Other odd combinations appeared, but Illus and Anilee could not decipher if they had any meaning, though the appearance of ¡°temple¡± reassured them yet again.

    They set up their tents on either side of the stone, then Sator set up a perimeter of aluminum cans on fishing strings around the clearing.

    Sator and Tyza settled into their tent while Illus and Anilee began to review the poem by lantern light in theirs.

    Sator pulled Tyza close in his arms from behind, curled up on the bed mat.

    ¡°Should have just shot the fox. Bet it can¡¯t dodge a bullet.¡± Tyza laid back against him.

    ¡°Exit wound would¡¯ve ripped apart the pelt. Foxes are just so small.¡±

    ¡°Makes you wonder if a bullet would do the trick. If the fox can play with live arrows, what else could it do?¡±

    Sator smiled and walked his hand creepily up her arm. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s an evil spirit, a ghost that killed the guy by the rock that can only be hunted with shaman magic.¡± He skittered his hand closer to her face. ¡°And it sneaks up in the middle of the night and aah!¡± His hand crawled up her cheek and tugged her into a kiss.

    She giggled, hanging close as he pulled back. She bit her lip, rubbing her rear against him until a chill caught her spine and she sighed. ¡°The tents are too close.¡±

    Sator returned the sigh, gently combing his fingers through her short hair. ¡°No doubt there. And, it¡¯s your brother. Let¡¯s not make him hear anything. Anilee¡¯s not as bad as you made her out to be, though.¡±

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Tyza turned to Sator and stroked his bicep. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be, what, the villain of their relationship, but Sat, you have to agree with me that she¡¯s not good for him.¡± She put a finger on his lips before he could respond. ¡°They get along and have similar interests, yada yada, but she is a slave driver. I would wager my life savings, my heart, my soul, my absent mother¡¯s soul, and everything I¡¯ve ever owned or loved that the second they got into their tent, she started ordering him around like a servant.¡±

    Sator raised an eyebrow. ¡°She¡¯s certainly a bit unusual, she seems like she cares about him. You know?¡±

    Tyza pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. We have yet to see them be put in a really dangerous or scary situation as of now. And she¡¯s so secretive that it¡¯s concerning.¡±

    Sator grinned mischievously. ¡°Then what if we create a situation?¡±

    ¡°You better not be planning to hurt either of them.¡±

    ¡°No! No. Think more practically.¡± He sat up cross-legged. ¡°We are in the forest, some ruins where there are bound to be frightful crevices and spooky slopes of mud. Illus will have no care for them, but Anilee¡­¡±

    Tyza¡¯s mouth curled into a devious smile. ¡°She would be horrified, sent into a flight directly into his arms- or away from him. If we can separate ourselves and put some pieces in place, or lead them into controlled strife, we may be able to prove it.¡±

    ¡°She hates mud, pollen, plants, the dark¡­ oh, just about everything out here. Here we can find if she cries for Illus, or if she takes all her frustration out on him.¡±

    Her eyes beamed. ¡°And if the do break up, we won¡¯t be breaking them up. We will simply be putting them in places with a little tension.¡±

    Sator pulled Tyza onto his lap. ¡°Who knows? A little tension can do wondrous things for a relationship.¡±

    She took a deep breath in and furrowed her brows. ¡°You think she¡¯ll warm up to all this, don¡¯t you? You think they¡¯ll stay together?¡±

    ¡°I do. I think that when she realizes how harmless nature is, she¡¯ll be happier with him. I take it you think the opposite?¡±

    She squinted at him. ¡°There is no future where she gains an ounce of humility. And for the record, I don¡¯t hate her. I think she¡¯s great for him¡­ in a wealthy block where everything is readily available and served to her on a silver platter.¡±

    Sator quickly kissed her. ¡°Shall we wager? If they stay together, I win. If they split, you win.¡±

    ¡°I like it, but what does the winner get?¡± She slipped a hand up his shirt, rubbing his chest. ¡°Or what does the loser do? What if the winner chooses what we make of the profits from this adventure?¡±

    He pulled her closer. ¡°What if the loser has to do any one thing the winner asks.¡±

    Tyza squinted at him. ¡°¡®No¡¯ will never be enough for you, will it?¡±

    ¡°Just once, but only if I win.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Sator added, ¡°we are not allowed to tell them what to do. We can only give advice if they ask for it.¡±

    Tyza frowned at him and sighed in agreement. Sator held out his hand and she shook it, locking in the deal.

    ¡°Then, shall we scout ahead?¡±

    Sator shivered, grabbing her waist and holding her still. ¡°You don¡¯t think they will get up or hear us?¡±

    ¡°I spent a few nights in Illus¡¯s dorm when I was visiting the city, and I could not sleep at all because they spent literally all night talking about the first two chapters of a boring history book. Correction, she yapped while he listened obediently.¡± Tyza leaned closer, whispering in Sator¡¯s ear. ¡°We can take all night if we want to.¡±

    Meanwhile in the other tent, Anilee was confirming Tyza¡¯s earlier wager. Illus set up the tent, the bed mat, cleared it of bugs, muck, grime, dirt, and water as much as he could. But it still was not enough for Anilee to even take off her beaver skin shawl.

    ¡°Eugh,¡± she whined, ¡°there are mud streaks on the edge of our mat. Where we sleep! This is disgusting.¡±

    Illus rubbed his eyes tiredly.

    ¡°Unclip my hair, thank you.¡± She turned around and let him do it without even getting an answer. ¡°And, did you write down the poem already?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ani.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Illus struck a match and lit a tarnished brass oil lantern between the two of them. He set the paper with the poem on the floor between them. They read, reread, and discussed the intricacies of the language for about an hour, tossing ideas back and forth, speculating and questioning about what everything could possibly mean.

    ¡°The Key to Ciun,¡± Illus reviewed. ¡°The first couplet describes where we are. The second couplet may be a warning to not follow any foxes. They may lead us aimlessly into the woods. Third couplet, the ruins are ancient and lost- straightforward enough. Fourth couplet¡­¡±

    Anilee picked up where Illus trailed off in thought, scrawling some notes down. ¡°The faces and masks may be apparent when we get to the ruins, but it seems to suggest some form of deception. The fifth couplet, apart from the odd commas, may be another clue to something we have yet to see. The sixth couplet sounds like it is foreshadowing some kind of treasure within the ruins. Unless this is a madman in search of the fountain of youth and there is no artifact.¡±

    ¡°And the use of she¡­ seems to refer to Imahken, or this shrine. Perhaps to differentiate between ¡®he,¡¯ us or others venturing to the ruins, and ¡®she,¡¯ the ruins of Imahken slash Ciun. And the way the writer explains it¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Anilee chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t fret, this sounds like a crazy guy in the forest who lost his mind chasing foxes around ruins. It couldn¡¯t be Carmonia, could it?¡±

    Illus stroked her hair behind her ear and pulled a twig free. ¡°Unlikely the remains would last there so long. However, meaning can yet be derived from the words of a madman, but you have to be a little mad yourself.¡±

    He let his hand hang in the spot behind her ear for a moment, her coarse hair drifting through his fingers, hoping Ani may respond even with just a flick of her eyes. She stared straight at the paper on the mat as if he weren¡¯t there.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Illus pulled away and sighed his attention back to the paper, ¡°where were we? Sixth, no, seventh couplet. Even more cryptic, but maybe it is a warning for people going in to have no expectations? Hard to say. Eighth. It speaks of a keeper, which is important to note. Whether that keeper is still around is another question, but respecting the land seems to be the safe course of action.¡±

    Anilee¡¯s eyes shot wide open and she sat up, beaming. ¡°The fox?¡±

    ¡°With what we saw?¡± Illus had been waiting for her to come to that realization. ¡°Very probable.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± she moved on, ¡°um, ninth couplet- line. This makes little sense with the context we lack. ¡®Ciun of the old world you will meet soon,¡± and then nothing. Is it alluding to something more beyond the ruins? But what of the missing line?¡±

    Illus laid back and shook his head. ¡°Hard to say indeed, but I think what we have gleaned is more than useful for the time being. More of the poem¡¯s meaning will likely reveal itself to us as we traverse further. Do you think this is Imahken?¡±

    ¡°It has to be.¡±

    Illus smiled and idly set his hand on hers, then gave it a reassuring squeeze.

    Anilee expectantly eyed Illus, who stared at the roof of their tent idly contemplating that last thought, which drifted to thoughts of Anilee. Finally, she pulled her hand away and took off her beaver skin shawl in an attempt to feign comfort. Illus glanced at her, but she sourly turned her face forward. Then his smile faded, which frustrated her to no end.

    She pouted at him. ¡°You act so different with the others, but when it¡¯s the two of us¡­ nothing.¡±

    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Do I really have to spell it out every time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he lied, unsure of what to be sorry for. ¡°My head is still in the poem, this¡­ riddle.¡±

    ¡°See?!¡± She shot up and grabbed his sweat and soil coated face with both of her hands, then recoiled and wiped them on her dress in embarrassment. ¡°Why can¡¯t I ever be in your head when you¡¯re staring up with nothing else to do? Is your sister getting to you that much? Is she driving a wedge between us?¡±

    He wanted to say ¡°if only you knew how wrong you are.¡± What he said was ¡°You¡¯re in the forefront of my thoughts when I wake and you¡¯re in my dreams when I lay down to rest. But¡­¡± he bit his tongue and rethought his next words carefully. ¡°I haven¡¯t discounted your disdain for dirt. And I think my sister is only fussy because of this exhausting trek. We¡¯re bound to see our worse sides when going through a little hardship. Tempers are growing hotter and I think amiability is the best course here.¡±

    Her face softened as did her tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not comfortable out here like animals and you all. I¡¯m not a fur trader and I didn¡¯t come from nothing like you. I can¡¯t enjoy squalor like you.¡±

    He faked a smile. ¡°This is the only time you¡¯ll ever have to be out in the forest, filthy with me. You¡¯re doing great, so bear with it for now. Don¡¯t think of the dirt and humidity, think of the ruins and how close we are to your dream.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s our dream.¡± She raised her chin to him, smiling. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t keep you around if you didn¡¯t love this as much as me.¡±

    Aluminum cans jangled outside. Anilee froze, curling up into herself.

    Illus set a hand on her knee. ¡°Ani, the animals will not harm us. There is nothing big and ferocious around here. I¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡±

    He opened the tent flaps and peered around, rifle at the ready. Nothing directly visible except for Sator and Tyza¡¯s tent. Sator poked his head out, emerging with his own rifle. The two men locked eyes and then stood, scanning the perimeter. Behind Illus and Anilee¡¯s tent were cans still gently shaking, but no sign of an animal. Illus grabbed the lantern and twisted a dial to focus the light toward the woods.

    He thought it was a trick of the eyes, with the speed at which it disappeared. A blur of azure blue and a whisper of bone white. He froze, confusion swelling in him.

    Was it a person? It was tall enough to be a person, but no person could move at such speeds. It was far too tall to be the fox, unless it was on its hind legs. But with such an odd blue fox, could there also be specters, ghosts, spirits? Or would allowing such superstitions to fester in his mind cause more strife than needed? Ancient ruins rumored to house a magical artifact could potentially result in strange residual magics, but ghosts? It had been proven time and again that ghosts did not wander the world, save for extremely rare instances of cursed artifacts. So perhaps it could be? Maybe a colorful bird tricking his eyes in the darkness? Illus settled on the fox being the cause despite the difference in size.

    He shook off the thoughts of superstition and waved Sator back into his tent. ¡°I think it was the fox, but it seems wary of us skittering off so quickly.¡±

    Sator raised his hand to halt Illus, then left a finger up while he listened.

    Nothing.

    Silence.

    No sounds came from a forest that should be bustling with life. No frogs croaking, no bugs chirping, not even a squirrel rustling in the underbrush. The two noticed this together and exchanged a glance. After a moment of internal deliberation, Sator shrugged and slipped back into his tent.

    Illus laid down with the anxious and frightened Anilee, back to back, but his presence seemed to calm her enough that she did fall asleep.

 Land atop ruins is where Ciun lies.

    A pale, hazy sky greeted the travelers¡¯ morning. The far off sun had yet to peek above the trees, but it brought good tidings with its brilliant golden glow creeping higher and scattering off the clouds. Sator was the first to wake, with him Tyza. They shared a devious grin before exiting their tent to wake up the other two.

    Anilee was already nearing tears the moment she opened her eyes. Sniffling and whining at the crack of dawn, sullying the optimistic air of the day.

    ¡°Eugh!¡± She yanked off her dress, then a petticoat, and another petticoat. Finally, she took off another petticoat and left her last petticoat on. Anilee pulled her dress back on and threw the petticoats into the tent, directly onto Illus. While he certainly had no objections to her stripping and tossing her clothes onto him, part of him hoped it could be with a lot less misery. Anilee pouted at the lack of bulk to her skirt, pulled it up and watched it sadly drape as fabric is so inclined to do. Then she felt her hair, puffed out and staticky from the friction of such quick undressing.

    Tyza snickered. ¡°You really have that wild adventurous look about you now.¡±

    Anilee glared at her wickedly. ¡°I am unmade, unkempt, filthy, and a disaster!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s new?¡±

    Anilee paid no mind to Tyza.

    Illus emerged from the tent as drenched as the previous mornings, folding up Anilee¡¯s clothes and turning off the lantern.

    Sator looked at him quizzically.

    ¡°She still can¡¯t sleep in the d-¡± Illus began, but Anilee covered his mouth with her hand, lowering her eyes and scrunching up in embarrassment.

    Tyza decided it was the perfect time to instigate an argument, ¡°it¡¯s a miracle your dress avoided catching fire.¡±

    Anilee ignored Tyza¡¯s comment and turned to Illus. She pulled her hat over her face, fighting back tears. ¡°Can we find a place to bathe? Last night was far too hot.¡±

    ¡°I wonder why,¡± he said beneath his breath. Then Illus raised her hat and gently brushed her hair with his hands. ¡°We will. But what have you to worry for? It¡¯s only sweat.¡± He held the hat next to her face, obscuring Tyza and Sator. ¡°You know, you¡¯re quite adorable when you¡¯re like this.¡±

    Her cheeks grew red and her hands raced to cover her face. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to see me like this, it¡¯s not becoming of me!¡±

    Illus leaned lower and calmly whispered to her. ¡°I haven¡¯t stayed with you simply because of your appearance.¡±

    Anilee yanked the hat from his hands and pulled it over her face again. ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± She stumbled back into the tent.

    Illus silently went wide eyed, shrugging at Tyza and Sator. Tyza shook her head smugly and Sator returned the shrug.

    Eventually, Anilee left the tent so Illus could pack it up and carry all of their things. And finally, the three of them set off with renewed optimism and Anilee.

    The vibrant orange vines ended where a valley began. The gradual decline and soft soil made for a comfortable walk down, but that didn¡¯t make navigating the dense forest easier. With no clear landmarks or sky in sight, they just had to go down and trust they had the correct heading.

    Or so Illus and Anilee thought. On their escapade, Tyza and Sator scouted every which way down the valley and deliberated which one would be best for the quarreling lovers to pass. Too steep and Anilee would certainly fall to a serious injury. Too gradual and nothing would become of it. A very easy path lay further downstream, but they wanted to put Anilee and Illus through a little stress test.

    Sator led the group forward through a dense, windy patch of short trees to a suitable spot. There were several short drop offs, about the height of a person, but distant from each other so that a fall would not snowball down the valley.

    ¡°The trick,¡± Sator said, ¡°is to follow animal trails to get where we need.¡± He couldn¡¯t lie to Illus, who was already glancing other directions at other more traversed animal trails, but Anilee would know no better.

    Anilee huffed, waiting for Illus to hold back the brush for her. ¡°Animals are stupid, Sator, and I¡¯m supposed to believe they make paths? Are you sure we can¡¯t find a less dense way through?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best not to underestimate the wilderness, Anilee.¡± Sator ducked beneath a heavy limb. ¡°Animals travel where it¡¯s safest, where it¡¯s easiest to pass. You have to be able to think like an animal to outsmart them, to hunt them.¡±

    ¡°Why would I want to think like a stupid animal? We¡¯re people because we¡¯re smart.¡±

    Sator shrugged, starting to realize why Tyza didn¡¯t like her. ¡°Why does anyone do anything?¡±

    Tyza raised a knowing pair of eyebrows Illus¡¯s way, who did everything he could to avoid it. The dimples on Anilee¡¯s cheeks stretched into a grimace from realizing how far beneath her Sator was, asking such an ignorant question and offering such unscientific advice. She hid her face beneath the brim of her hat so the others would not catch on to her bitter mood.

    Anilee miserably trudged forward, her dress and hat catching on branches every few seconds. She would tug at her dress, often ripping it. It was a bit pitiful to see how out of her element she was. Illus certainly thought so, which is why he took extra care to be her doorman, to avoid any avoidable frustrations from her. After an unnecessarily arduous walk, they arrived at the ledge.

    Sator and Tyza had to double-take to make sure they were in the right spot, because it was not what they remembered. They stood above a two hundred foot gorge, almost a sheer cliff if not for the slight outcroppings that they both would have sworn looked bigger last night.

    A yelp announced Anilee, who emerged from the brush and fell flat on her bum.

    Illus paused, wide-eyed staring down the cliff. ¡°Surely there is another way around.¡±

    Sator checked up and down the gorge, but he saw little in the way of easier paths.

    Tyza felt the first hint of remorse for Anilee since meeting her. ¡°Ani, Ani,¡± she held Anilee¡¯s shoulders to calm her. ¡°You¡¯re okay, we have rope to get down.¡±

    Anilee did not respond, her rapid breath getting the better of her, sending her straight into a panic attack. As callous as he felt for thinking it, Illus wondered how Anileewas the one who convinced him to go on this expedition.

    <hr>

    A rainy day in June caught Illus in the cobblestone streets of New Heraldsburg. Soot in his nose and steam rising from the horizon, the city was alive long before he had risen. Distant train horns blared to announce the morning departures and horse-drawn buggies dawdled down the narrow streets with flats on either side. This was the military housing block, where Illus lived with his half-sister Tyza for almost as long as he could remember.

    The New Heraldsburg branch raised them sufficiently, providing education and lodging at the cost of grueling training and military service. At 16 years of age Illus showed promise as a marksman, so he trained in reconnaissance and scouting. Dealing in the sphere of intelligence, he found himself communicating with officers more often than the other enlisted. One of those officers was the then Lieutenant Colonel Uthman, Anilee¡¯s father. As head of the youth military training corps, Uthman closely oversaw the development, training, and personal lives of Illus and Tyza. He became a surrogate father of sorts to them and all the rest of the children who had no other place than the youth corps. He raised them to be disciplined and diligent, honest and hardworking with surprising success considering some of the pits those kids had been fished out of.

    This is to say that Illus became quite the prospect for a potential officer along with about a dozen other boys and girls, including Uthman¡¯s sons. With such potential, Uthman sought to open opportunities to them by bringing them to functions with high-profile figures.

    Anilee and Illus met at a dinner hosted by Lieutenant Colonel Uthman in the lavish banquet hall of the Uthman mansion. The Uthmans were old money, golden chandeliers, mahogany, ball gowns, and an excess of champagne. There was surprisingly little for Illus to do at this particular ball, as the officers were busy gloating or flattering their way into the next promotion. The other high-value prospects had a leg up on Illus, who stood alone in the corner, greeting other partygoers who dismissed him, the polished street urchin he was. This was his first time at the Uthman mansion, but he enjoyed casually observing the blatant brown nosing from his isolated, impoverished stigma.

    Out of nowhere, a rather cute girl only a year younger than Illus sneered down her nose at him, posturing in her puffy silver ball gown. ¡°You are certainly not an officer and I have never heard of a Hayshon, so what are you doing in my mansion?¡±

    The young Illus wore his white dress uniform, distinguished and clean. He introduced himself with a courtly bow. ¡°Corporal Illus Hayshon, miss. Intelligence aid in the youth corps under the oversight of Lieutenant Colonel Uthman. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?¡±

    She rolled her eyes at him. ¡°I am Anilee Uthman. Your superior officer is my father.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for clarifying Miss Uthman, I briefly worried the Lieutenant Colonel was cheating on his wife with a child.¡± Illus slipped, put off by the pomp of the young woman before him.

    Before Anilee could indignantly respond, Illus nodded to another woman approaching. Made up pristinely and dressed in a deep navy ball gown with silver trim that accentuated her mature figure, she carried herself with pride and elegance befitting a woman of high status. Illus couldn¡¯t help feeling flustered by her, but he tried his best to present himself with respect. She had the same raven-black hair as Anilee, with a fair face and striking eyes to match her dress.

    ¡°Master Illus, how well you clean up. My, I have not seen such a handsome young man in this mansion in quite a while.¡± Mrs. Uthman held out her hand for Illus to kiss her satin glove.

    ¡°It is always a pleasure to be in the care of you and yours, Mrs. Uthman. I was just acquainted with your daughter.¡±

    Mrs. Uthman chuckled and covered her mouth in faux embarrassment. ¡°Oh, my apologies Master Illus, I did not mean to interrupt any courting.¡±

    ¡°Mother!¡± Anilee¡¯s face reddened so much that her freckles disappeared. ¡°I would never be courted by a military dog!¡±

    Illus smiled away his contempt. ¡°I was under the impression that she took honest interest in me, having approached first, but if my presence brings such disdain then I will find conversation elsewhere.¡± Illus turned away and a sharp crack of cloth sounded off.

    ¡°Master Illus,¡± Mrs. Uthman beckoned him to turn with her enticing tone. ¡°Please forgive my daughter, she can act quite abrasively sometimes, but she is a lovely young woman.¡±

    He turned back as Mrs. Uthman slid her glove on. Anilee¡¯s eyes faced the floor, a bright red mark on her cheek. Illus had heard that Mrs. Uthman was quite demanding of her children, but he had only met the sons, some of the most promising young men in the nation. Little had he heard of the reclusive daughter.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°Corporal Hayshon, good evening.¡± Lieutenant Colonel Uthman¡¯s commanding, low voice called the conversation to halt. He took the place beside his wife, and as if second nature she laced her arm into his. His stern brown eyes locked on Anilee. He wore a similar white dress uniform to Illus, but his had golden tassels at the shoulders, with a fruit salad of medals and ribbons adorning his chest.

    ¡°Good evening and congratulations on your promotion, Lieutenant Colonel Uthman,¡± Illus almost saluted before remembering such a thing was unnecessary at functions.

    He warmly nodded to Illus. ¡°Thank you, I hope my daughter has not been a damper on the festivities, especially for one of my brightest young NCOs. She rarely sees company.¡±

    Anilee¡¯s head fell lower.

    Mrs. Uthman took over for them. ¡°No, dear, our daughter was just inviting Master Illus to a private conversation in the library. She had just learned that he is quite bright and a sleuth at deciphering information.¡± She pinched the back of Anilee¡¯s arm and awaited Illus¡¯s compliance.

    ¡°Please, lead the way.¡± Illus held his arm out for Anilee to hold, and she guided him out of the ballroom, through the mansion corridors, to a magnificent three-story library filled to the brim with books. Illus thought that maybe she would be rid of him or perhaps open up, but instead, as soon as they were inside, she let go of him and toppled into tears on a luxurious leather couch.

    Illus was unsure how to proceed, being forced into this situation, but he felt it would be rude to leave her alone so suddenly. Then again, he also had no clue of how to comfort her, not knowing her at all. He stood beside the couch while she cupped her cheek and cried.

    He thought he may as well make the most of being in such an elaborate and expensive library. His curious eyes scanned the walls, then the table next to the couch, where a stack of books were piled up. The spines were all titles by a historian he was familiar with, Jiremont Carmonia. Carmonia collated ancient stories from expeditions he embarked on some two hundred or so years ago. Illus¡¯s eyes followed a pile of books along the cushions, written by different authors, but all of them focused on the same period.

    Illus picked up the book at the top of the stack, which stole Anilee¡¯s attention and halted her tears immediately.

    ¡°No!¡± She shrieked. ¡°Do not move any of these books!¡±

    Her sharp voice echoed around the library and a butler snuck up so quietly to Illus¡¯s side that he couldn¡¯t help jumping.

    ¡°Young master,¡± the old man in a tailcoat guided the book back to its place in the stack. ¡°These books are diligently organized by Miss Uthman. Please ask myself or her if you would like to read them.¡±

    On one hand, she had stopped crying, but now she was expecting a response from Illus.

    Illus sighed. ¡°My apologies, I was curious about the volume, as I am familiar with some of Carmonia¡¯s work myself. Are you¡­¡± his eyes met Anilee¡¯s eyes, which had brightened rather quickly. ¡°Are you researching something about his work?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Anilee sat up straight, reluctant to answer, but sitting upright and side-eying Illus as if eager to talk.

    ¡°May I inquire about the nature of your research?¡±

    She fiddled with her hands on her lap. ¡°I am studying the whereabouts of Carmonia¡¯s last expedition. He never said where it was, just that he was investigating an ancient artifact.¡±

    Illus nodded along. ¡°What have you found?¡±

    Anilee raised her head with pride. ¡°Quite a lot, actually.¡±

    ¡°Such as¡­?¡± Intrigued as Illus was, his patience wore thin.

    However, that was all Anilee needed to explode into a detailed explanation of Carmonia¡¯s expeditions. She instructed Illus to sit across from her, then walked him through Carmonia¡¯s firsthand accounts of ancient ruins and texts found in the overgrown forests around the continent. She had found records and stories from the native populations, slowly narrowing down the location. Illus¡¯s curiosity grew the more she spoke, and he lost himself to conversing with her about the antiquated histories of Carmonia for hours. Anilee appeared less to him as a spoiled rich girl, and more a sheltered albeit inquisitive young woman.

    ¡°So throughout Carmonia¡¯s expeditions,¡± Illus gathered, ¡°he was piecing together the fall of an ancient civilization, the Imahk, but he never returned from his final journey to this Imahken¡­ a place he said nothing of?¡±

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Anilee held her finger up as she made her point, ¡°and it¡¯s assumed that he was killed by a reclusive group or tribe inhabiting the ruins of a presumed temple. His research is unparalleled, but his methods and personality caused him to be chased away from many of the locations he investigated. He often attempted to woo local women and use mercenaries to clear natives out of the archeological sites.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where the ruins are?¡±

    Anilee hesitated. ¡°No¡­ but I have several clues as of now. Accounts from others say he led the group into a secluded forest region in search of a bald mountain, but it does not say what range or forest. And that¡¯s only a loose assumption based on one line of text.¡±

    ¡°So-¡± Illus was interrupted by the opening door.

    The same butler returned to the chambers.

    ¡°I am heartily sorry, Miss Uthman and Master Hayshon, but the festivities have concluded and Lieutenant Giret has requested your return, Master Hayshon.¡±

    Anilee¡¯s enamored eyes returned to their sullen lonesomeness.

    ¡°Then,¡± Illus rose, ¡°shall we continue this conversation another time?¡±

    ¡°Huh- yes!¡± Anilee shot up, beaming at Illus before she bashfully closed herself off. ¡°Is this of interest to you or would you rather do something else?¡±

    He smiled. ¡°And leave this mystery unsolved? Shall I return in a fortnight, when I return to New Heraldsburg after some training?¡±

    Anilee nodded. Already speechless, Illus left her breathless and flushed when he kissed her hand and bade her goodbye.

    The butler guided him from the library to the ballroom, where Mrs. Uthman caught him. ¡°Master Hayshon, you spent quite a while in the library. Shall we be expecting your return?¡±

    ¡°In a fortnight, if it pleases?¡±

    ¡°Not sooner?¡± Mrs. Uthman chuckled with a step in. ¡°Oh, I suppose I should refrain from rushing youth.¡± A moment of hesitation caught Illus, which Mrs. Uthman picked up on, leaning in. ¡°Is something amiss?¡±

    Mrs. Uthman¡¯s naturally forward and flirtatious mannerisms caused more stress in Illus, especially with how close she was. He stammered in gibberish to no clear end.

    She cut in, whispering to him. ¡°Is it her appearance? She takes after me so much, and I filled in a bit late. You have nothing to worry for.¡±

    Illus¡¯s face flushed further, embarrassed, but beginning to recollect his words. ¡°That¡¯s- uh- reassuring, Mrs. Uthman, but my hesitation arises from the Lieutenant Colonel.¡±

    Mrs. Uthman chuckled and whispered once more to him. ¡°Dear Master Illus, it was your Lieutenant Colonel who suggested I step in.¡± She pulled back. ¡°Now, was he wrong to do so?¡±

    Illus lowered his head for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°No, Mrs. Uthman. Thank you.¡±

    Illus took his leave with a courteous bow.

    Two busy weeks flew by and he visited again. He and Anilee continued their conversation then researched deeper into the old tomes. Research became unrelated talks, and unrelated talks became trips to carnivals and outings into the city. They researched and enjoyed posh snacks, but rarely did Anilee ever express interest in any of his outing proposals, only hers. Her obsession with her research worried Illus, and he thought that if he helped her see it to its end, she would open up to the rest of the world a little more. Through all that time, though, they were never alone. There was always a butler or maid on hand and watching, waiting to report back to the Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Uthman, leaving Illus at an impasse. Anilee refused to steal away with him when he urged her to step out of her comfort zone. Eventually the research led them to finding the location of Imahken over the course of five years.

    Often, she grew frustrated or burnt out from research and pushed him away, or resented him for spending time with others when he could have been visiting her. After every fight, she would cry and tell him how to not mess it up the next time. Illus was always the reason she cried, and if not she still blamed him. He wondered if it was from the stress of fruitless research, and that maybe once it was done, she would be less prickly.

    In time, Illus commissioned as an officer and acted as a training information officer and sniper, visiting Anilee even less. His station increased and he stayed with the military while Tyza met Sator and left service. Tyza no longer by Illus¡¯s side so much, he had even more free time to devote to Anilee. She turned from a research partner to an inconclusive something more with how much time they spent together. Everyone assumed they were betrothed, but she always dismissed such assumptions as jokes, never quite saying what she thought of him. She often became bitter and blamed Illus for giving people the wrong idea, which put a strain on their already complicated relationship. But Illus held hope strong.

    When they did discover the potential location of Imahken, Anilee¡¯s spirits became rejuvenated like never before. Her obsession grew stronger, fiercely pushing Illus to convince her father to take her in search of Imahken, regardless of the struggles and challenges she would face.

    He thought he was close, closer than ever before to getting Anilee everything she ever wanted. By extension, this would put their five year long struggle to rest, a new chance to grow closer off a monumental success.

    His hopes overrode his doubts in Anilee, and he prayed that perhaps she would be happier after one final breakthrough.

    <hr>

    Illus, despite his frustration, believed they could make the venture down the gorge, then up the other side with good effort. They could, but Anilee would certainly struggle. He sat next to her and gestured for the other two to give them a moment.

    ¡°Ani?¡± He stroked her hair and pulled her into him. To his surprise, no resistance from her. ¡°It¡¯s scary, isn¡¯t it? A nasty fall if I¡¯ve ever seen one, but don¡¯t you want to see the other side?¡±

    She wiped at her tears, calming her breaths. ¡°I- I can¡¯t- I can¡¯t make it!¡±

    ¡°I am not asking if you can or cannot, I am asking if you want to?¡±

    Anilee met his eyes passionately. ¡°Of course! Of course I want to see the other side, but I have never climbed such a place in my life! How could I-¡±

    Illus held a finger to her mouth, silencing her. ¡°Then trust in us to get you across. It¡¯s why we¡¯re here. We can do it, and we can help you do it. This one climb is all that stands between you and everything we spent these five years searching for. Fear is something to be faced. You¡¯ll be stronger on the other side.¡±

    Obsession overpowered fear, and she nodded, glancing at the edge. Illus witnessed the courage fleeting from her eyes, so he guided her terrified pearls toward him. ¡°Don¡¯t look at the ledge, look at me.¡± A strange calm took the air as their eyes held each other¡¯s gazes. ¡°Just look at me.¡±

    Sator side-eyed the two with a smirk at Tyza, who grew more frustrated with the smugness than Anilee¡¯s childish behavior.

    Sator approached the ledge and tied a rope around the sturdiest tree, tossing it down into the gorge.

    ¡°Wha-? Huh?¡± Sator squinted over the rope, which seemed to be cut off immediately at the edge. He pulled it up, and more rope appeared out of thin air. He shook his head and held the rope tightly, climbing down. His lower body disappeared, then the rest of him.

    Illus and Anilee approached the edge, unaware that Sator had gone down. Tyza watched in utter confusion, about to speak before Sator¡¯s voice startled them all.

    ¡°Hah! Tyza, climb down here.¡±

    Tyza sank to her knees, looking down over the edge. ¡°Sator, darling, what¡¯s going on? Is it safe? Where are you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the cliff, it¡¯s masked by something, like a mirage in the desert.¡±

    A cackle echoed across the gorge, all of their eyes following the sound to a little outcropping of rock that the same black and blue fox sat atop of, laughing at them. The air before them shimmered, revealing what Tyza and Sator had seen the night before. Several easy climbs down with enough space between them to be safe. Tyza and Sator shared a sigh of relief and Anilee gazed down with more confidence than before.

    The fox darted away, leaving them to their slow climb down. Illus went down before Anilee each time, and Tyza held the rope so she felt secure. They reached the bottom without struggle, a knee-high stream greeting them from the middle of a dried riverbed.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Sator exclaimed as they started crossing. ¡°Illus! Don¡¯t!¡±

    The whole group halted, concerned from Sator.

    ¡°What?! What?¡± Illus backed up from the water.

    ¡°Illus,¡± Sator emphatically implored him, ¡°you¡¯ll sink like a stone! It¡¯s too deep for you.¡±

    Illus rolled his eyes and walked across.

    ¡°Do you think¡­¡± Anilee mumbled.

    ¡°Hm?¡± Tyza lackadaisically back-stepped across the stream.

    ¡°Could we clean up here?¡± Anilee meekly asked.

    Sator and Illus exchanged a glance, looking up toward the sky for the sun. It was just before noon. They had some time.

    Illus nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s be quick then. Ladies first. Sator and I will scout ahead in the meantime. Holler when you finish.¡± He set down their bags by the streamside and the men traipsed up the hill.

    As they neared flat ground, a wall of deep green speckled by blue blocked the way ahead. A solid thorny hedge blocked the way forward, standing twenty feet high with pristine blue roses growing all throughout.

    ¡°I had no idea roses could be blue,¡± Sator said.

    Illus stopped, cautious to approach the strangely shifting wall of roses and thorns. ¡°As far as I know, they can¡¯t be.¡±

    ¡°Sator, Illus! We¡¯re done!¡± Tyza called up from the valley.

    ¡°No!¡± Anilee screamed in pure terror. ¡°We are not done!¡±

    Tyza laughed loud enough for them to hear. The mules groaned, tied up atop the other side of the cliff. The two men mimicked them.

    Sator put his hand on Illus¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Anilee isn¡¯t afraid of flowers too, is she?¡±

    Illus optimistically guessed. ¡°She spends quite a lot of time in the gardens with them. Hopefully the groundskeeper is thorough enough for her.¡±

 Ye guided by foxes promising shrine

    An intertwining wall of leaves, vines, thorns, and roses loomed before the group seeking passage. Anilee, now clean and calm, approached. She gently touched the soft petals of the roses as blue as the ocean, speckled by indigo pollen. She noticed that the vines behind the roses seemed to be shifting and slithering across each other like a wall of snakes.

    She stepped away. ¡°No, I have never seen any roses like this before. I was unaware that roses could grow so beautifully blue. However, I am worried because the bush-¡± Anilee stared up at the towering greenery before her, ¡°-the hedge, seems to be shifting.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps this is what the poem refers to as labyrinthine?¡± Illus paused beside Anilee. ¡°Now to find an entrance¡­¡±

    He noticed the vines shifted more quickly since he had approached, little tendrils seemed to reach out toward him.

    Illus quickly backed away. ¡°You¡¯re right, it would appear these roses are alive.¡±

    ¡°Duh-huh! The plant is alive?!¡± Tyza mocked Illus with a clown voice.

    Illus glared at her, failing to notice as Sator drew his machete and hacked at the bush.

    ¡°Wait-!¡± A vine slapped Anilee.

    The wall of roses and thorny vines erupted like a ravenous maw, surrounding them, catching Sator and Tyza. The vines coiled around them, dragging them in and closing over. Illus and Anilee were both knocked backward by the burst of vines.

    Illus tugged Anilee to her feet and away from the bush. ¡°Tyza! Sator! Are you-¡±

    A thorny vine whirled out at Illus¡¯s face. He barely ducked it, but lost balance and tumbled over. Anilee rushed to his side, too terrified to step closer to the wall.

    ¡°Ty-¡± Sator yelled out but was quickly silenced.

    Illus and Anilee froze, waiting for a sound, but they heard nothing else from the other side of the wall.

    ¡°Sator, Tyza!¡± Illus called back, noticing that the wall trembled when he did.

    No response.

    He grabbed Anilee by the hand and held a finger to his lips to quiet her. Together, they tiptoed closer to the wall, then stood in place. The wall continued its gentle shifting, no care for the two standing before it.

    Illus took off in a speedy walk, a cold sweat breaking. He pulled Anilee around the perimeter of the roses desperate to find the others. Almost a quarter of a mile down river was an opening marked by two mossy granite fox statues on either side. Illus pulled at the moss on the base of the left statue where a flat face seemed to have writing. The words, eroded by time and moss, were illegible. Illus glanced to Anilee, who worriedly met his eyes. With a firm grip on her hand, he led her forward into the maze.

    The strange serenity of the silent spectacle calmed Anilee, so much that she walked beside Illus instead of behind him. She marveled at the carefully manicured hedges, the overgrown granite tiles beneath their feet, wetted by rain and slick with moss, parted from one another by grass. Specks of indigo pollen drifted in the air around them, glittering in the sunlight.

    Illus half wished he had been alone with Anilee, not chasing after Tyza and Sator. The scene was private, intimate, and peaceful. A setting he wanted to take advantage of to learn Anilee¡¯s mind better, if only he could speak, if only Tyza and Sator were not in danger.

    They rushed through alley after alley, forward and backward as the sun continued its descent toward evening without any sign of having made it any deeper. Anilee¡¯s initial wonder became a building anxiety for every second longer they remained, her demeanor slowly becoming more panicked and startled.

    A shifting noise crept up behind them. Anilee froze in fear, barely holding whimpers back. Illus turned around to see the maze covering the direction they came from. He whirled back and pulled Anilee away from where the maze closed off. They darted around a bend and down a long corridor thick with roses and thin with space. Like the walls too were slowly closing in around them.

    Anilee trembled, hardly keeping up as her knees buckled with every step, stamping on every stone. Illus stopped and pulled her close into a comforting embrace, holding her head into his shoulder while he surveyed the shifting maze. Sure enough, the walls ceased closing in once Anilee stopped stamping her boots into the stones.

    Panic would be the death of them, that Illus knew. The other two could manage such a situation, but Anilee would fall apart under pressure.

    Her persistent shaking eased in his arms and he released her head, showing her the receded walls. He then pointed to his boots and proceeded by stepping only on the grass and moss, which she followed in turn.

    A shimmer of blue and black darted across the path ahead, from left to right. Had Illus not kept his eyes trained ahead, it could have been discarded as a trick of the eyes, a shadow amidst the shifting walls. Illus pulled Anilee along with more expedience, keeping his eyes on the exact place the fox crossed.

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    Low to the ground, obscured by a small outcropping of vines, was a path through the walls on either side.

    But which side was the correct one? Illus wondered. The fox might have been moving toward an exit, toward Tyza and Sator. Or perhaps it wanted him to think one of those things. A fox cunning and powerful enough to create the false image of a cliff would surely seek to mislead them in a labyrinth. The opposite direction from where the fox went was more likely to be safe, especially if it had its own network of fox holes and passages.

    Illus knelt down and slowly stuck his hand into the cramped fox trail through the wall. No mirage for his hand to pass through, nor a response from the roses. He stood and cupped his hand close to Anilee¡¯s ear, whispering almost silently.

    ¡°Trust me.¡±

    He dropped the bags, tied a rope to them, and stuck the leeway in his pocket. Then he ducked down to crawl through the fox hole. The vines brushed against him, thorns catching on his clothes, his frame too large for the route. Vines curled gently around his legs, like they were ready to clutch and seize him the instant a sound was made. He glanced backward to Anilee, who was on her hands and knees mustering the confidence to follow Illus. In the instant he turned his head forward, a thorny vine curled up in front of him, pointing directly into his right eye.

    Illus froze, a gasp of air escaping his mouth. The vines tightened around his legs, cut into his arms, and whirled toward his face. They stretched and strained his skin, shallow slices searing his limbs. He held his breath until finally the vines calmed, receding back into place, releasing his legs. The light on the other side neared, and then with a desperate crawl for freedom, he burst onto mossy stones. A gentle sound of running water caught his ear, but his mind was still focused on getting Anilee through the wall.

    He glanced into the fox trail and Anilee was about head deep, eyes closed, face scrunched in like a scared puggle. Her hand trembled, creeping forward an inch a second. From this side, Illus realized the wall was only several feet across, so he could help Anilee through from his end.

    Creeping forward, Anilee¡¯s hand met Illus¡¯s and a yelp burst from her lips. The vines surged around her hand and head, knocked her hat over her face and constricted her ankles. Illus knew she would only get louder, so he strengthened his grip, thorns pricking into the soft flesh on the back of his hand.

    He held her hand firm, but calmly. The thick cloth of her dress kept the thorns from hurting Anilee, giving her just enough confidence to open her eyes and be pulled forward by Illus. He tugged and she crawled, finally emerging from the wall of roses. As Illus pulled the bags through, Anilee rose and tugged on his shirt.

    Illus peered over his shoulder where Anilee was looking. A gray granite fountain caught his eye. The stones beneath his feet were neither mossy nor worn, but polished and clean as though crawling through the wall had transported them backward through time to an era when Imahken, Ciun, whatever name the ruins held, were not ruins. A three layered fountain with classical carvings on each level. The top level depicted a fox and a masked man raising their hands to the sky, blowing away raging thunderclouds. At the second level, men sowed the earth, seeding the ground while the fox and the masked man held back tidal waves. These waves were released gently into the third level. This bottom level of the fountain was etched with images of women collecting water from the gently flowing river and pouring them into fields which abounded with elegant roses.

    But Anilee¡¯s eyes were not on the fountain, nor the gentle flow of water from it. She stared across the scene at the fox, seated atop a short pedestal, whimsically watching the two humans. Illus did not know how to proceed. Something was not right to him, curious about the bubbling water that disturbed the silent serenity of the garden.

    ¡°Is it¡­?¡± He quietly spoke while monitoring the walls. His hypothesis was correct. In this spot, the vines did not desire the same silence as the rest of the maze.

    The fox locked its eyes on Illus, and Illus locked eyes with the fox. He identified no fear nor skittishness as the fox¡¯s eyes casually checked Illus up and down.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Illus began jovially, ¡°the poem spoke of a groundskeeper. Would that be you?¡±

    The fox did not respond, but its blue eyes stared on with a strange sentience, recognition that Illus had never seen in a fox.

    ¡°Can you understand me?¡± Illus took a step closer to the fox.

    It raised its head, peering down its nose at Illus. He was unsure what to say next. Should he pry in an attempt to find Tyza and Sator, or exercise more caution?

    Suddenly, Anilee spoke up. ¡°Your garden is rather lovely, Mister Fox.¡±

    Illus almost laughed, taking on a cynical tone of reverence. ¡°Aha- ah, yes, kind regards to our tormentor for a lovely fate. I could not help but marvel at the pristine roses as they strangled my sister and her husband.¡± He politely nodded to the fox.

    The fox¡¯s eyes widened at Illus¡¯s comment, and its lips curled upward, a grotesque smile, like a creature pretending to be a fox lived beneath the fox¡¯s pelt. Little chuckles broke free, high-pitched fox chuckles which could almost certainly be heard throughout the rest of the maze. Illus took close care to not be much louder than the running water.

    ¡°What fertilizer do you use? I must know, unless trapped humans and animals are to thank for our lovely little walk.¡±

    The fox tilted its head at Illus, its chuckles fading. No, no, no. Illus needed it to keep laughing.

    ¡°Apologies,¡± Illus put his hand on his heart, ¡°we did not intend to disturb your meditation, or what have you. Would it be preferable if we crawled back in and died? I would be happy to obli-¡±

    Anilee slapped Illus on the arm, fear welling in her eyes which darted between Illus and the fox. Illus had noticed earlier that the fox was so amused by Anilee¡¯s torment. Luckily for Illus, Anilee was terrible at parsing jokes from true intentions.

    Illus gently grabbed her arm. ¡°No, no, Anilee, we must respect this kind fox and his domain. You go through first.¡± He tugged on her, pulling her toward the fox path again, but Anilee was not amused in the slightest. She frantically slapped Illus''s arm, holding back shrieks and breaking down into tears as they neared the roses.

    The fox¡¯s low cackle turned into a howl at witnessing Anilee¡¯s hopeless struggle against Illus. Of course, Illus was not actually going to push Anilee in, but the fox did not know that, nor did Anilee. In fact, she thought Illus had gone insane, her heart breaking with betrayal at the malevolent magic the fox must have been casting on Illus¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Illus!¡± She breathlessly whispered, nearly hyperventilating. ¡°Please! Please! The fox has done something! To you! It¡¯s done-!¡±

    Illus covered her mouth and stopped pulling her. Anilee¡¯s horrified eyes met his, and he quietly shushed her. The vines crawled out from the walls around them, reaching toward the howling fox, rolling around on its back in ecstatic laughter, eyes closed as it kicked its legs in the air. From the vines, Illus caught a glimpse of Sator and Tyza, beckoning them toward him with his hand. They were cut up and bruised, but limped through the thinning walls to Illus and Anilee.

    A vine prodded at the fox and in a shock it rolled over in a defensive hunch. The fox watched Illus, Anilee, Tyza, and Sator the whole time the vines returned to their places in the walls. Then it jumped from the pedestal, darting the opposite direction from the four, through doric columns holding a grand archway aloft.

    Anilee pulled away from Illus, tears in her eyes. She walked off through the archway by herself.

    Tyza whistled. ¡°What happened to-¡± a vine flicked her ear, startling her away.

    Illus and Sator simply exchanged tired glances and followed them in turn.

 Traverse shimmering lands labyrinthine.

    Tyza caught up to Anilee outside of the maze, before a perfectly preserved massive mosaic. Glassy tiles formed a picture of a woman in an ornamental fox mask and shiny blue robes laying across a lavish granite divan. Her straight, long hair flowed into her dress, the color matching her robes, which gently fell to the steps beneath her. Her fair skin and enviable physique drove men to kneel on the steps in desperation, offering gifts of flowers and clothes, gold and gemstones, and platters of delightful cuisine. Yet her gentle mouth and outward gaze displayed pure apathy. Atop the divan sat a fox with a pompous smile, a fox of similar appearance to the one which had been tormenting them. Further in the background was a grand amphitheater, pristine gray granite columns ascending indefinitely into a bright, clear sky. Above the mosaic was a phrase written in an ancient language.

    Tyza hesitated to reach out and comfort Anilee. ¡°Ani, are you okay- eh- well, I suppose that¡¯s a dumb question.¡±

    Anilee¡¯s tone felt venomous for a moment, snapping at Tyza. ¡°A foolish question by a foolish woman. If foolishness is what you bring, then I¡¯ll have none of it.¡±

    Tyza wanted to smack Anilee, as she frequently desired, but she tried to remain calm. ¡°Ani, what is this about? You¡¯re hardly as wounded as us. Is it your dress?¡±

    ¡°Is it your dress?¡± Anilee mocked Tyza, then took to yelling. ¡°Did you not see your brother forcing me toward the wall of thorns?! Have I lost my mind in being afraid of such a deceitful man?!¡±

    Tyza sighed, ¡°I¡¯m sure if you talk to him about it, he¡¯ll-¡±

    Anilee wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°But yes, my dress is shredded and torn! My hat all the same! I¡¯ve bled onto my clothes and I almost died in there!¡± Anilee¡¯s breath quickened, her freckled cheeks puffing in and out rapidly, her dark eyes rolling as she lost balance.

    Tyza caught Anilee before she could fall and guided her to sit. ¡°Just breathe, Ani, you¡¯re fine now.¡±

    Illus caught Tyza¡¯s brown eyes flicking between Anilee and him, casting an exasperated expression at him.

    Sator spoke to Illus, out of earshot from the other two. ¡°I thought watching her struggle through the woods would be more lighthearted fun, not this.¡±

    ¡°All at my expense.¡± Illus pinched the bridge of his nose.

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, thanks for doing whatever you did to make that fox laugh. We were lost to no end.¡±

    ¡°All at my expense,¡± Illus repeated.

    ¡°She¡¯ll get over it.¡±

    ¡°No she won¡¯t.¡±

    Illus crossed the empty plaza, where the mosaic and women were.

    ¡°Ani, listen, I-¡±

    She shot up, ready to tear into him. ¡°You were about to feed me to the thorns, Illus! Did the fox steal your mind, or do you really hate me that much?!¡±

    Anilee shook like mad, heartbroken, and confused. Illus couldn¡¯t keep his eyes on her, and replied remorsefully. ¡°I- am sorry. I never meant to actually throw you in there. It was a ploy to keep the fox laughing so the other two could find us.¡±

    ¡°You thought feeding me to the roses was funny?!¡±

    ¡°The fox delights in torment,¡± Illus gently reached out to Anilee, but she pulled away. ¡°I meant nothing by what I did. At the ravine, I noticed it laughing, howling upon seeing you in such distress at its mirage. We were unable to call for Sator and Tyza in the maze, but I thought if I could use the fox, then we would be safe, and-¡±

    Anilee slapped Illus across the face. ¡°You used me! You used me because you¡¯re too stupid to think of a better solution! You were going to throw me away for a gamble!¡±

    ¡°I was most certainly not going to throw you away,¡± Illus shook his head. ¡°Ani, I made a poor decision at your expense in a life or death situation, but it was the decision that got us out alive.¡±

    ¡°Look what you did to me!¡±

    ¡°Are you dead?!¡± Illus yelled back. ¡°Are you dying?! Are you strangled by vines?! Broken at the bottom of a gorge?! My entire prerogative is to escort you safely to and from these ruins as your father has charged me to do. I only want us all to return from this alive. If us living means pushing your boundaries then I will gladly do so, but I will not put you in any more danger than is reasonable and necessary. You mean more to me than anything else!¡±

    Anilee scowled. ¡°Not your sister and Sator.¡±

    ¡°It was a joke! A fib! A ruse! A trick to make a fox laugh! I sincerely feel terrible for putting you through that, but I would rather have my sister and best friend alive than dead and I made a hasty decision which I will apologize forever for putting you through!¡±

    She scoured his face for the truth, but came to her own conclusions. ¡°So am I not your best friend?¡±

    Illus rubbed his face with both of his hands, heavily sighing into them while trying to not drive his fingers into his eyes out of frustration. A brief moment of clarity came to him, and he calmed down. ¡°What do you think you are to me?¡±

    Sator and Tyza watched on from the sidelines in amazement, nodding at how Illus managed to dodge that question so effectively.

    Anilee pouted, her face growing more red, a total shift from only a moment ago. ¡°You treat me nicely because- because you¡¯re¡­¡± she mumbled too low for him to hear.

    ¡°I¡¯m a what?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a-¡± she stammered, ¡°another suitor, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Illus¡¯s face fell flat. Being another suitor was bad enough to hear, but still being unaware of his feelings after five years and being so close left him in silent awe. She was willing to share a tent with him, to spend so much time with him, but she had no clue of his feelings toward her?

    Tyza and Sator stared at the spectacle in profound amazement, embarrassed second hand for Illus, who was coming to his own conclusions.

    ¡°Another suitor?¡± Illus asked in monotone.

    ¡°I thought¡­¡± Anilee was embarrassed for completely different reasons. ¡°Was it not my mother who charged you with courting me after the party when we met?¡±

    ¡°This whole¡­ five years, you were under the impression that your mother was in my ear forcing me to do all of this, so that is why you allowed me in?¡±

    Anilee silently nodded.

    Illus¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°And ¡®another?¡¯ You have more suitors and you have yet to tell me this?¡±

    ¡°My¡­ my mother informed me that more are in line should you decide to cease.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ you believed I saw you as my best friend, despite knowing that I was courting.¡± All the embarrassment had left Illus in place of a hollow numbness.

    ¡°H-¡± Anilee choked on her words, ¡°How am I supposed to know your feelings? I am not ready¡­ not to be courted properly. But I- I- the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you.¡±

    ¡°Will you ever be ready, or have I given you five years of my life for naught, Anilee?¡±

    ¡°Of course- of course I will be ready, in time.¡± She couldn¡¯t look Illus in the eyes.

    ¡°What if I said I was done waiting?¡±

    She didn¡¯t answer.

    Illus gazed at the mosaic of the woman behind her. ¡°Perhaps this would be a good place to rest while you sketch and record this¡­ wonderful piece of history. Welcome to the ruins, I suppose.¡±

    Anilee weakly replied. ¡°But¡­¡±

    Illus wordlessly walked up the staircase next to the mosaic where Tyza and Sator had snuck up to.

    Tyza put her hand on Illus¡¯s shoulder and whispered. ¡°Give me the word and-¡± she dragged her finger across her neck.

    ¡°Hah hah.¡± Illus¡¯s monotone voice and blank expression cut deep. Tyza wanted to rip out on Anilee, but she decided to separate herself from it all and sat down where she could keep Anilee in sight like a mother watching her child.

    Sator pulled Illus along. ¡°Come now, I figured we could celebrate our month-long trek to the ruins, so I brought this,¡± he revealed an expensive bottle of wine from his bag, ¡°but you seem like you could use something stronger.¡±

    ¡°I think a part of me just died, Sator.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just your will to live. Is this your first break up?¡±

    Illus pondered existence. ¡°This is a skosh worse than a break up. This is a wasted, unrequited pursuit.¡± His eyes scanned the dull sky. ¡°Have I been used? Getting here? All of this research? Was she dangling a carrot before my eyes to get here? Or was she a moron leading a blind man off a cliff?¡±

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    ¡°No use questioning it now,¡± Sator blurted out. ¡°Do you still have feelings for her?¡±

    ¡°How could I not? Feelings cannot simply die. They dissipate. Arising faster than lightning and leaving slow as a mountain erodes.¡±

    ¡°Illus, wooing women isn¡¯t so simple as you may think, especially ones like her.¡±

    ¡°My sister is the opposite of Anilee, and I would rather not know how you wooed her.¡±

    ¡°Illus, Illus, do you still care about her or not? Do you want to be with her?¡±

    ¡°Yes and I am not sure. But I¡¯m not going to sour the expedition with some foolish, childish drama that she propagates because she won¡¯t be clear about anything.¡±

    ¡°No drama necessary. Do you know why she¡¯s been taking advantage of you for so long?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s pathetically incapable and unwilling to grow, Sator. I truly appreciate her for who she is and who she can be, but if it¡¯s not me, it¡¯s a butler, and if there¡¯s a butler then it¡¯s weird because there¡¯s an old man watching us the whole time.¡±

    Sator slapped him on the back. ¡°Now is the perfect time to change that. Show her the side of yourself that you would show if you weren¡¯t courting her. Put a different face on. Make her fend for herself a little. There are no butlers in sight.¡±

    ¡°I have tried,¡± Illus scratched his head, slowly falling out of his misery. ¡°She is persistent. Annoying, even.¡±

    Sator seemed like he was about to say something, then tilted his head. ¡°Why do you even care so much if she¡¯s as hopeless as you make her seem?¡±

    Illus shrugged. ¡°Probably because I have hope that she can grow. Have I been going about it the wrong way?¡±

    ¡°That seems like the obvious conclusion.¡± Sator popped the wine and waterfalled some into his mouth. ¡°However, now you have confirmation that acting so servile is pointless. You have no reason to be that way anymore. You¡¯re not at the part of the relationship where you¡¯ve agreed to stay together, you¡¯re still negotiating terms. She¡¯s playing you. Think like it¡¯s blackjack and she¡¯s the house. She says you can win the pot, but you never do because she only lets you play if she knows you¡¯ll lose. Leave the game. Play a different one where you don¡¯t need cards.¡± He passed the bottle to Illus.

    Illus sniffed the wine, shrugged, and took a small sip. ¡°Gamble on the other men courting her? You think I outvalue them in her eyes?¡±

    ¡°A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. But nothing¡¯s stopping the bird from flying away.¡±

    ¡°Aye, true,¡± Illus moped, ¡°but when the bird in hand is an idiot, then what is to become of him when she fools him yet again?¡±

    ¡°Then leave her. Her father is right and well with that, yeah? You said so yourself.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been five years, I-¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s not gonna change for a lot more years unless you do something.¡± Sator pointed the bottle at him, ¡°you made all of this possible, and even if you didn¡¯t, you were there the whole way for her. Uthman has nothing to blame but his daughter at this point. I think he likes you more than his own daughter. Sad for sure, but good for you.¡±

    ¡°All the more reason not to disappoint.¡±

    ¡°Well, you have yet to disappoint. Maybe Anilee only needs some distance, some apathy, and some fear of losing you to know if she loves you back. Make a woman up. Competition for her. She¡¯ll get possessive. It always works, but you have to stay firm. If it doesn¡¯t work, then you¡¯ll know she¡¯s a lost cause.¡±

    Illus furrowed his brows and turned to Sator. ¡°I thought you despised Anilee. And why is the advice good? My sister was never like Anilee.¡±

    Sator smirked. ¡°Brother, most men have been with women like her at some point. It¡¯s often a fruitless endeavor.¡±

    A dreary tone befell Illus. ¡°Fruitless, yes. Endeavor may not be right. It feels like more of an expedition across a frigid, unfeeling tundra.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, welcome to it.¡± Sator slapped his shoulder and corked the bottle as he heard footsteps coming up behind him. ¡°Oh, I thought we would have more time to drink.¡± Anilee and Tyza walked side by side. Tyza seemed like she wanted nothing to do with Anilee, whose face was petrified.

    Illus decided to take matters into his own hands. ¡°I see a structure over there worth investigating. Let¡¯s put that squabble behind us, shall we?¡±

    Anilee nodded and walked past him toward it.

    Sator side-eyed Tyza, an air of mischief about his carefree demeanor. ¡°We need to treat our wounds, so we¡¯ll set up camp.¡±

    <hr>

    Illus knocked thrice on a dark wooden door in the bustling office building.

    A plaque next to the door read ¡°Colonel Raymus Uthman.¡±

    ¡°Enter,¡± Colonel Uthman declared from inside.

    Illus stepped into the office and saluted, then stood at attention behind the chair across from the Colonel¡¯s desk. The room was orderly and warmly lit, but a bit overpacked. Awards and foggy black and white photographs were framed on every wall. Illus recognized his group among them. Him and Sator in one group with a hundred other boys, and Tyza in a group of girls to the right of them, all standing at attention toward the camera.

    ¡°Be seated. At ease.¡±

    At a proper posture, Illus sat and awaited his orders.

    ¡°Lieutenant Hayshon, yesterday evening at eighteen hundred hours, my daughter came to me requesting sponsorship for an expedition to the lost temple of Imahken. However, she requires military presence on this expedition to receive resources from the military. I assume you anticipated this, no?¡±

    ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    ¡°I worry. Not as a Colonel, but as a father. So far as prior ventures have it, the region is largely uncharted and potentially hazardous. To mobilize enough resources, support, and troops to accompany the expedition, it would have to be pushed back several weeks, which would further delay the expedition due to the climate of the region.¡±

    ¡°Colonel, if I may,¡± Illus procured a notepad from his back pocket. ¡°The railroads, if we departed by tomorrow at dawn, would carry us to the edge of the prairie in two weeks. From there, approximately two week¡¯s northward trek through the forest, with no notable geographical dangers nor wildlife which a rifle could not deter, I believe a probing expedition could be in and out before the rain begins.¡±

    ¡°Reasonable, but what of your resources and company?¡±

    ¡°My sister¡¯s husband, and good friend of mine is a former soldier and experienced fur trader. Sator. Our navigation skills together would suffice, and less bodies will require less resources. I believe that is where the former expeditions failed. All of the recorded ones were large parties requiring heavy resources. As you said, I anticipated this, so we are ready to depart at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±

    Colonel Uthman sighed. ¡°Illus, what of Anilee, though?¡±

    Illus¡¯s tone grew slightly more stressed. ¡°This expedition need only be a probe, a glean into the necessities for future work should the ruins exist at all. Her safety will not be threatened, nor will I allow her to be put in harm¡¯s way as much as I can in a forest.¡±

    Uthman let out a single chuckle, as if Illus was missing the point. ¡°My wife tells me that you intend to marry Anilee.¡±

    Illus¡¯s composure cracked, an awkward smile creeping up his cheek. ¡°If it pleases Anilee, I will do anything for her¡­ but yes.¡±

    Colonel Uthman furrowed his brow. ¡°So I have seen, but having fathered her, I worry for you.¡±

    Illus¡¯s face fell.

    The Colonel continued. ¡°I wonder if she humors your presence because of who you are, or because of what you have done for her.¡±

    ¡°Colonel¡­¡± Illus lost his train of thought. ¡°What are you implying?¡±

    ¡°You are one of the brightest men I have trained, and in a way, raised. In the same manner I wish to see Anilee happy, I would like to see the same for you. My daughter can be reclusive, stubborn, and difficult, as I know you know. Tell me, Illus, do you know Anilee¡¯s mind?¡±

    Illus hesitated, humbled with a dash of embarrassment. ¡°I do not. The watchful eyes of serving staff and her aloofness has been a hurdle I wished to overcome through a proposal, to spur on a discussion she cannot push off any further.¡±

    ¡°Do you believe that granting her this mission, her life¡¯s wish to find these ruins, will be enough for her?¡± The question had a rhetorical tone to it.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Then be cautious. Learn her mind, Illus. Her care need only be yours should she reciprocate. And should she, you have my blessing.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Colonel.¡±

    The Colonel smiled proudly. ¡°I assume you have the ring already?¡±

    <hr>

    Anilee walked stiffly, afraid to look back at Illus. He glanced into his palm, a single-cut white sapphire gemstone atop a silver band. Her favorite gem and her favorite metal. He felt like such a fool, though he was glad he never told Sator or Tyza about it. Any more pity might kill him. He tucked the ring back into his pocket, buttoned it shut, and proceeded.

    Anilee¡¯s eyes rose to a covered bridge before them, more carefully carved columns and granite. The triangular roof shaded dozens of people, quite short across the board, in robes made of silk. They carried gilded vases and other offerings toward the bald mountain on the other side. Domesticated moose pulled carriages full of goods and people. Beneath the bridge flowed a gentle river, pearlescent fish hopping from the clear water. The worn stones beneath their feet became square tiles with geometric designs of roots and branches guiding them to the bridge.

    They stepped forward, taking in this glimpse into the past of these people, all well-groomed, pale complexion, with an array of hair colors from blonde to red to black, their robes often bright colors or white. Short, wavy hair and full beards belonged to most of the men, and the women wore their hair up in headdresses of glittery gold, ivory, and flowers.

    As awe-inspiring as the scene was, Illus couldn¡¯t stop himself from staring at Anilee. Her dark brown eyes were like windows into her world, reflecting her sights as if she were in a dream, like she was somehow seeing everything so much more vividly than everyone else around her. The way her eyes slanted up in the inquisitive glances she took. Her mouth slightly ajar, full lips and a smile creeping up her freckled cheeks. She pushed a flowing curtain of black hair behind her ear and gazed up at a mosaic on the ceiling of the bridge with such wonder.

    Her infectious wonder bled into Illus, a vicarious victory in his eyes.

    Anilee pointed up and stepped onto the bridge, but her foot caught on something invisible and she tripped. Illus, having his eyes locked on her, grabbed her arm in an instant, pulling her to his side, watching the false bridge shimmer and fade. The roof had fallen in, but the bridge was still standing after all that time. Only one support column near the other side had given out; a small portion of the bridge with it. The channel beneath the bridge was now a deep gully overgrown with trees.

    Illus released Anilee, still unable to take his eyes off of her despite an unemotional expression about him. He played it off with a casual smile.

    ¡°I thought your father, being a colonel, would have taught you self-preservation. We¡¯re in ruins, Anilee, you have to be careful. Especially with our foxy friend dabbling about.¡±

    He stepped onto the bridge and glanced over the edge, into the canopy below, then followed the path with his eyes. Across the bridge led to a decrepit staircase of granite that ascended the mountain.

    ¡°Will it be safe to cross?¡± Anilee stepped up to Illus, glancing over with him.

    Illus turned away from her, walking further down the bridge. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Anilee started, following Illus uncomfortably, ¡°this would be a good place to stop? I would love to draw that mirage.¡±

    Illus halted and leaned against the hip-high wall of the bridge.

    Beneath them the bushes stirred. Obscured by the canopy, neither Illus nor Anilee could see Sator and Tyza lurking, who spied Illus and Anilee through the leaves. They had circled around the lower area, searching for a way to stalk the quarreling couple. On the dark forest floor they hid, watching and devising a plan until a voice startled them from behind. A raspy but spry voice like an old man eager to cause mischief.

    ¡°Eavesdropping, are we?¡± The fox cackled, emerging from a tuft of foliage obscuring a dark passageway in the wall.

 Whose world long left unsaid,

    The quarreling lovers¡¯ voices echoed from atop the bridge, but they were hardly the interest anymore. Sator clutched his rifle, pushing Tyza behind him as the fox emerged from the dark crevice.

    ¡°What is that I see?¡± The fox gleefully pried, skulking towards them, ¡°a weapon, I reckon?¡±

    Sator pointed the weapon in question at the fox.

    The fox stood on its hind legs and put a paw to his heart. ¡°Good sir, I have but a trifle to say, before you kill and skin me, if I may?¡±

    They stared in fearful confusion as the fox¡¯s smile grew wider.

    ¡°As you eavesdrop on them, I eavesdropped on you! Whose home do you think you wandered into? Alas, riches abound through this tunnel. Such adornments would suit you well. Or perhaps a jest you seek, to make those two speak?¡±

    Sator stomped forward to intimidate the fox. ¡°Damn fo-¡±

    ¡°Aye, hush!¡± The fox held a claw to his mouth. ¡°To brush.¡±

    The fox darted beneath a bush as Tyza glanced up, noticing a curious glance over the edge from her brother. She yanked Sator back before he was spotted.

    ¡°Fine, fox,¡± Tyza hissed from another bush. ¡°How do you know of our wager?¡±

    ¡°I heard from a ledge, not to my fault, lovers sat upon an edge, too enthralled to halt.¡± The fox returned to standing on two legs, holding out his paws to stay their embarrassment. ¡°For water was I away to the bank, when through the winds you whispered a prank. He desires unity through lovers¡¯ strife, she wishes her kin free for his life. I desire interjection for but a projection, a specter to test, then to you the rest.¡±

    Sator and Tyza shared a glance, unsure of how to proceed.

    ¡°Think if needs be, then summon me.¡± The fox darted back into its cave, its shining blue eyes fixed on them from the darkness.

    Tyza angled away from the fox. ¡°No, no, no, and positively no. I would not, could not, trust a hair on that fox. Never for now and all eternity.¡±

    Sator narrowed his eyes at the fox, then turned back to Tyza. ¡°Who¡¯s to say the fox will let us go, or Illus and Anilee, with no quarrel? In that fox¡¯s eyes is a game, one we cannot win presently.¡±

    ¡°I see no benefit in bargaining with this fox. He seeks to terrorize, not discern truth. We have no grasp of its abilities, Sator. It¡¯s a blasted talking fox!¡±

    ¡°Ty,¡± Sator pulled her even closer, ¡°do you think such a creature will take kindly to rejection? I see no reason for him to let us-¡±

    The fox whistled at them lightly, emerging from the cave. ¡°Time is now dire, I must inquire. What of the talk? Shall we all stalk?¡±

    Sator strengthened his tone. ¡°We agree to your bargain, and no more after.¡±

    ¡°A specter to test, then to you the rest.¡± Its eyes leaked blue haze for a blink, then above they heard Illus and Anilee remark at something.

    Illus disappeared from where they could see him, so Sator followed the fox with his eyes, watching it leap up a tree and peer through the leaves at Illus and Anilee. Its gleefully wretched face slowly grimaced, a low growl before it leapt down to the forest floor. The fox paced in circles, muttering to himself.

    ¡°Enticed he is not by such an alluring specter, but what man does not wish to taste Enae¡¯s nectar?!¡± The fox bared its teeth at Sator and Tyza.

    ¡°What, did he not take to your mirage?¡± Sator¡¯s rifle was still trained on the fox.

    The fox smirked. ¡°No, such a sight will not do, yet I wonder if she will work on you.¡± Shadowy blue smoke wafted from the fox¡¯s eyes again, and suddenly a woman stood before Sator. The masked woman from the mosaic. The mask, made of ivory and adorned with geometric golden and blue designs, stared stoically at him with glowing eyes. Her flowy blue dress gently waved like it was made of water. Sator¡¯s mind clouded for a moment, stepping closer to the woman, who beckoned him with a provocative finger wag.

    Tyza followed Sator closely, cautious for his sake. She thought his mind lost to the specter, and her suspicions were confirmed as Sator lowered the rifle, ignoring the fox to approach the woman.

    She grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. ¡°Sator! Sator!¡±

    He blinked, his eyes slowly refocusing on Tyza. He glanced at the false woman, then back to Tyza, then raised the rifle to the fox again.

    ¡°What are your specters, fox?! What malevolent tricks are afoot here?!¡±

    The fox¡¯s creeping grin soured now that Sator¡¯s mind was free. ¡°You ask for tricks to conspire while you refuse a moment to admire. What good is a joke if you break the yolk?!¡± Its eyes thinned, face growing more serious. ¡°Such resolution is promising, you should know the treasure of the king.¡± It stepped back toward the hole in the wall. ¡°This tunnel to riches it leads, artifacts of heroes whose deeds, long lost to bygone ages, whose worth surpasses all wages. A risk to your life indeed, to never again worry for feed.¡±

    The fox stood on its hind legs, pointing into the cave.

    Sator began stepping forward, but Tyza grabbed him, pushing in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s down there, fox. Speak no lies to us any longer.¡±

    It grinned horrifically at them, every word like a curse, every sentence an omen. ¡°Blackened halls, beds of bone, creaking walls, nothing known. Wanderers all gone lost, into the catacombs embossed. I speak no lies for everyone dies who dares bleed to sate greed.¡±

    Tyza approached the fox, glancing down the stairs into pitch black. ¡°Has anyone made it out alive?¡±

    ¡°One was lost and saved by luck, one returned with a bit of pluck. None freed a treasure by my eternal measure.¡±

    ¡°Tyza,¡± Sator held her hand, ¡°I think it¡¯s time we go.¡±

    Tyza saw before her a chance to escape struggle, all in one tunnel, a maze, but she wondered what she could do differently from all others before, salivating at the thought of the riches below. She let Sator pull her away, her mind clearing from the temptation of wealth.

    ¡°We will return tomorrow, fox,¡± Tyza declared.

    The fox¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°Ye best take time to prepare. The treasure is not going anywhere.¡±

    Soon enough, they were back to the mural where they left their bags earlier, presumably of the woman named Enae.

    Tyza pulled Sator close, hunger in her words. ¡°Imagine it¡¯s telling the truth, we could find riches enough to never be poor again. What say we peek in tomorrow, a probe at most, just to know what to expect?¡±

    Sator whispered, wary of the fox¡¯s eavesdropping. ¡°Do you not wonder what has caused so many explorers to not return? Promises of riches. A mad fox making mirages. Mirages which sway the mind.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be blind to the potential of-¡±

    Sator pressed a finger to her lip, checking over his shoulder. ¡°I am blind to nothing at the moment, but has the treasure not blinded you the same as the woman blinded me? The fox is cunning, Tyza. It knows our desires and our fears more than it should.¡±

    ¡°Then what do we bring back, Sator? The surface is all but picked clean with time.¡±

    ¡°The fox can trick eyes with his magic, but he can play on only one¡¯s emotions, it would seem. Or perhaps that is a deeper trick so we underestimate it. So long as we are together and cautious, we may be safe. And as for the treasure, what can the fox do against an organized group of men prepared to delve into catacombs?¡±

    Tyza¡¯s light eyes brightened. ¡°We return with them, claim our riches, and get paid a finder''s fee by the military for any magical artifacts or items of great power.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Sator pulled Tyza into a passionate kiss. ¡°Give it til next year and we¡¯ll be filthy rich darling, I promise you that.¡± He glanced around, excited breaths taking hold of them both. ¡°But we must be cautious now so we may live to tell about such things.¡±

    She pressed her hands to his chest, watching behind him as he did for her. ¡°How long do you think they¡¯ll be off?¡±

    Sator checked the barren camp and chuckled, ¡°Oh, Illus, you sly man. He¡¯s taken their bedding with him.¡±

    Tyza scowled. ¡°I just¡­ ugh. That woman is more devious than he knows. I pray he sees it and pushes her off the mountain.¡±

    Sator raised his eyebrows at her. ¡°You¡¯ve been awfully¡­ violent about her recently.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m seeing more of her than she¡¯s ever let me see and it makes me sick how she seeks to drive herself between Illus and everyone around him. I tell you that woman is rotten to the core.¡±

    ¡°I think she may just be a sheltered, spoiled, immature, rich girl. Illus sees that and wants to help her become more worldly.¡±

    Tyza rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Of course. All men think they can fix a broken woman until they¡¯re on their deathbed wishing they never had. You don¡¯t hear how women talk behind men¡¯s backs. I¡¯ve seen many like her, women who isolate and destroy decent men like my brother.¡±

    Sator shrugged and started setting up their tent.

    Tyza joined him, pressing the issue. ¡°Is it wrong to care about my brother?¡±

    ¡°No, Ty. We can expose her all we want, but in his eyes, leaving her is throwing away the past five years. It would be like if one of us up and left. We would be lost, aimless. That¡¯s why I gave him the advice I did.¡±

    Tyza halted. ¡°What advice?¡±

    ¡°Eh, to be more distant and really show her what him pushing her away looks like.¡±

    Tyza stared at him wide-eyed. ¡°You want him to make Anilee desperate?! Are you an idiot?!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the harm? Ty, he¡¯s a smart-¡±

    ¡°And she is a conniving woman who will do anything to keep him under her control!¡±

    ¡°What is she gonna do to him?¡±

    ¡°She may try to get pregnant! Trap him!¡±

    Sator stopped building the tent. ¡°Ty, I think you¡¯re overthinking this-¡±

    ¡°He-!¡±

    ¡°Ty! Ty! Let me finish.¡± Sator sighed, pausing out of frustration. ¡°I forgot what I was gonna say.¡±

    Tyza calmed her tone. ¡°We had close calls before marriage, and that only took six months for us. What do you think five years of her denying him will become when she suddenly opens up, Sator? Five. Years.¡±

    ¡°To that,¡± Sator resumed building the tent, ¡°Illus has held out for five years. If he catches onto her game, he won¡¯t budge.¡±

    Tyza paused out of frustration and shook her head. ¡°Why do I even bother worrying? Oh no,¡± she waved her hands in the air, ¡°I¡¯m Illus, I accidentally knocked up a beautiful and rich woman and I have to marry into a fortune now! Oh, the humanity! Maybe I am overthinking it. This whole bargain is stupid, cruel even.¡±

    ¡°Look, Ty, what he does now is on him. We¡¯ve done our parts. I think he¡¯ll have made up his mind once he gives her enough of a scare and sees her true colors.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s probably terrified to go that far. Marriage? Kids? I doubt she has any desire for those.¡±

    Sator smiled at Tyza and silently built the tent.

    ¡°We might be able to start soon, though, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    He glanced up at her. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on surviving for now.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± her spirits fell seeing Sator brush that off. ¡°Sator, why not?¡±

    Sator sighed, reluctant to give an answer.

    ¡°Unless you want me to trap you.¡± She playfully bit her lip at him, only to be met by furrowed brows. ¡°Satty, we-¡±

    ¡°Ty!¡± He tried reining his temper in. ¡°We¡¯ve already¡­ we¡¯ll talk when the payment for this comes in.¡± He sighed, ¡°dammit, that fox¡¯s pelt would solve everything.¡±

    Tyza dropped her gaze to the overgrown cobblestones and helped him build the tent.

    After tending to their cuts and bruises, Tyza and Sator explored the surrounding ruins. Across the bridge was the lone mountain. In the gully was the cave. Their side, though, expanded far north to another river. They found a deep amphitheater. Rows of seats surrounded a vast open center, all of it overgrown, a lake formed in the center where fish swam calmly beneath lily pads and algae. Next to the amphitheater was a covered gazebo, the only place which still had a roof. Makeshift walls were strung together by thick, rudimentary rope like a patchwork house. Beyond that, an orchard of pear trees littered with granite columns, but the house enticed them more.

    Sator pushed aside a shoddy door, glancing inside the dim shack. The room opened to a comfortable space with a granite bench and in the center a burnt bronze brazier. Rusted cookware was stacked in one corner while torn, decaying, and ruined clothes, bags, and leathers were hung from the walls. A cracked clay pot filled by dried fish slumped in the corner, no lid to be found. They both walked in and investigated the shack.

    ¡°I can assure you,¡± a woman¡¯s gentle voice emerged behind them, ¡°there is nothing worth taking in here.¡±

    Standing in the doorway was the woman Sator had seen before, but wearing a floral azure night gown instead of the flowing robes of the fox¡¯s specter. He felt no compulsion.

    ¡°Sator!¡± Tyza covered his eyes and pulled him away.

    ¡°I¡¯m no specter,¡± the woman smiled, ¡°no swayer of minds. Have you seen all you wished to see in here?¡± She stepped aside in the doorframe.

    Tyza and Sator exchanged a glance, then stepped out of the house. The woman leapt effortlessly to the roof as they emerged, keeping a close eye on them.

    Tyza stopped Sator and turned to the woman. ¡°I presume you live here.¡±

    ¡°Aye.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re explorers¡­¡± she trailed off, still unsure of what she wanted to say.

    ¡°Same as those atop the mountain, but closer, I warrant.¡±

    Tyza disliked that she couldn¡¯t read the woman¡¯s face through the mask. ¡°We¡¯re looking for artifacts, if you have them. We¡¯re willing to trade some supplies that may be of greater use to your survival here.¡±

    ¡°Survival.¡± She chuckled quietly to herself. ¡°What can you offer?¡±

    Tyza turned to Sator, who was clueless. Sator checked his belt, then thought about what he had in camp. ¡°Do you need a canteen for water? A waterproof bag? A collection of expensive dresses?¡±

    ¡°I already searched through the wretched one¡¯s dresses,¡± the woman said. ¡°Awfully gaudy and impractical, though I could use the fabric. The waterproof bag interests me, as does the canteen. What are they made of?¡±

    ¡°The bag is beaver skin, durable. The canteen is aluminum.¡±

    The woman pondered for a moment. ¡°What is it you desire, then? Presumably a relic?¡±

    Tyza responded without hesitation. ¡°Yes! Please. If that is an acceptable ask.¡±

    The woman crawled down through the chimney cap in the center of the roof with astounding speed and landed next to the fire pit. She closed the door on Sator and Tyza, then emerged from the roof holding a dusty emerald-encrusted golden chalice.

    ¡°Bring the bag and canteen, and this is yours.¡±

    Sator hesitated for a moment. ¡°How do we know that cup is real?¡±

    She frowned slightly. ¡°Your wealth is quite different from my wealth. After all, what good are gems and gold to me here? I reckon both of us are making out quite handsomely to our individual needs. ¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Sator nodded, not wanting to sour the deal, then set off.

    They ran faster than they ever had to camp. After retrieving the bag and canteen, he rushed back to the woman. She stood atop the roof silently, gesturing toward the shack. They hurriedly left the items inside. When they turned to her, the chalice was already soaring toward Sator. His fingers fumbled and juggled the polished gold and emerald chalice. When it settled in his hands, he swallowed, unsure if it were real, if the woman was real. His eyes met hers again, and she nodded.

    Tyza¡¯s eyes lit up and she hugged him tightly, turning up to the mysterious woman. ¡°We can¡¯t thank you enough.¡± Then a thought crossed her mind. ¡°We will be off shortly, but is there a path through or over the roses without getting¡­?¡± She gestured to her sliced and bruised arms.

    ¡°Have you tried asking politely for them to part? They may appreciate an apology, too.¡± The woman¡¯s warm smile comforted Tyza as she spoke.

    ¡°Wait, you live here, so-¡± Sator raised his hand as if to keep her in place, ¡°the fox- can you tell us how to be rid of it?¡±

    She lowered her head. ¡°I am heartily sorry. All I may say is that I may not speak of the fox¡¯s ways. What I will warn is this temple will be resealed soon, so be gone before the rivers flood. I only ask one kindness from you as you depart. Speak what you will of the ruins, the roses, the mountain, even the fox, but do not speak of me.¡±

    He hesitated, a little put off by the secrecy, but afraid to pry further. ¡°It¡¯s no worry. Thank you.¡± Sator nodded slowly and turned to Tyza. ¡°Were we just talking to somebody?¡±

    Tyza side-eyed the woman. ¡°I don¡¯t recall. It¡¯s a miracle you found that just lying about.¡±

    The woman¡¯s smile returned and she crawled back down through the chimney cap.

    On the way back to camp, Sator spied Illus and Anilee atop the mountain, two little ants glowing golden in the sunset, sitting close together. ¡°Seems they made up.¡±

    Tyza wrapped herself around Sator¡¯s arm, eying the expensive chalice in his hand with a wide smile and joyous dewy eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care about them right now. They¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    They retired to their tent for what would be quite the lively night.

 History known only to the dead.

    ¡°A specter to test, then to you the rest.¡± The fox¡¯s eyes leaked blue haze for a blink, then Sator and Tyza heard Illus and Anilee remark at something.

    Illus had been silently waiting at the ledge, too caught up in his own worries to analyze the ruins. Anilee was expeditiously sketching the bridge they saw. Precise pencil drawings littered the pages of her notebook, but she never let him look at any of them.

    ¡°Do you remember how tall the bridge was exactly?¡±

    Illus didn¡¯t respond, staring pensively into the distance.

    ¡°Illus?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± He glanced at her sketchbook.

    ¡°Did you see how tall the bridge was?¡±

    ¡°I was hardly paying attention to it, the scene and whatnot. I reckon it was ten feet high.¡±

    ¡°Of course you weren¡¯t.¡± Anilee sighed dismissively.

    Just then, Illus thought he heard something beneath them, but when he glanced over the edge, the foliage was too thick to see through.

    Illus found his gaze returning to Anilee again, washing away all of the ire in his heart for a moment. ¡°How does it feel, finally being here? It¡¯s been a long dream in the making, no?¡±

    She lifted her eyes from the sketchbook. They fluttered to Illus, then the bridge, then the mountain above as a snide smile grew. ¡°Amazing. I hope Carmonia is rolling in his grave thinking that a girl like me will get the credit for finding this place¡­¡± she glanced at Illus and added as an afterthought, ¡°with you, of course.¡±

    ¡°Your father will be proud to see what you bring back. I know it. So many people will.¡±

    Anilee half smirked, half sneered. ¡°My father will be more proud of you. He thinks you¡¯ve done it all because you organized this expedition.¡±

    ¡°Ani,¡± Illus shook his head, softening his voice, ¡°this is your expedition, your work. He sees that.¡±

    Her eyes fell. ¡°But this would not have been possible without you and the resources you acquired from the military archives. I can hardly take credit.¡±

    ¡°What can I say, Anilee, you inspired me¡­¡± Illus approached her.

    Anilee froze, face redding and eyes widening.

    ¡°... to see where this research might go. It has been a pleasure helping you realize your dream.¡± He held out his hand.

    Anilee hesitated, then shook it awkwardly. ¡°Yes, likewise.¡±

    ¡°And I want to apologize for earlier. I should have never been so presumptuous and selfish, expecting a response from somebody who never felt such a way. It¡¯s good that the air is clear now and we can both move on.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, really, but¡­¡± Anilee lowered her head, ¡°you¡¯re always the one cheering me up when I¡¯m down, helping me like you did yesterday. Why do you even bother with somebody as awful as me?¡±

    Illus chuckled. ¡°You were so frightened, but I want you to see this through. Almost there has never been quite enough for me.¡±

    Her voice fell. ¡°Why do you care about me so much?¡±

    He chuckled and gazed toward the mountain, having played this game a thousand times, affirming her until he was back in the palm of her hand, restarting the vicious cycle. ¡°I would do it for anyone. Is your sketch finished? We may have time to investigate around the base of the mountain before nightfall.¡±

    Anilee pursed her lips, her face concealed beneath the brim of her hat. ¡°Yes, this is sufficient.¡± She slipped the journal in a pocket of the bag Illus was carrying.

    ¡°Follow closely now.¡±

    Illus carefully stepped forward, listening and watching for any signs of the bridge collapsing or shifting. The first half was sound, but a missing support beam near the other side left only half of the bridge walkable. The collapsed roof being held up so long was a promising look, but Illus was still careful in his crossing. He stepped onto the fallen granite, testing it with his foot. It didn¡¯t shift or move.

    He had no idea what he would do if the bridge began to move or shift, so he stepped quickly over it, letting his breath out once he reached dilapidated tiles on the other side.

    Illus had all of the weight, so all he did was glance over his shoulder while Anilee crossed. The way she lifted her skirt and tiptoed across, careful as always.

    ¡°I must say,¡± Illus let his thoughts carry his words, ¡°This is quite impressive. Obviously most of the temple is buried or lost to time, but¡­ so much is still here, it¡¯s¡­¡± he lost his train of thought.

    ¡°This is nothing. So much for a lost temple.¡± Anilee stomped the granite and glanced around the bridge and the mountain, eyes relaxed, mouth gently frowning as she avoided his eyes.

    But Illus looked past Anilee, to the bridge where another woman was standing. Her long azure hair ethereally hovered as she elegantly tiptoed over the bridge the same as Anilee. She slowly approached, staring at Illus, captivating him into stepping closer.

    Anilee was behind Illus, her own voice captivated. ¡°Do you see her too, Illus?¡±

    ¡°Ye-yes¡­ but¡­¡±

    ¡°Is she the fox¡¯s doing?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no other way, right? Ani, look.¡±

    Anilee turned around, jumping in place at the mysterious woman. The woman seductively smiled and raised a hand to beckon Illus. Anilee grabbed Illus¡¯s arm and turned him around, pointing up the mountain.

    ¡°Look! There¡¯s another!¡±

    Another woman, perhaps the same one, sat by the peak. Her sweeping strands of blue hair wafted with the wind. Her face too was concealed beneath a fox mask. She took no notice of Illus and Anilee, instead gazing wistfully toward the distant horizon, seated with her head on her knees. Her clothing was different, however, being a silk robe with azure floral patterns. It was modest, covering all but her head, neck, hands, and feet.

    Anilee¡¯s eyes filled with indignation. ¡°That woman is wearing my nightgown!¡± A sliver of jealous admiration grew in her voice. ¡°Why does it look better on her?!¡±

    ¡°Probably a matter of color, really, blue on blue.¡± Illus sighed, realizing he was about to be forced to go up the mountain and get it for her.

    ¡°Get it back for me, please!¡± Anilee grabbed Illus¡¯s hand, begging him like she was used to.

    ¡°Why did you bring an expensive nightgown out here?¡±

    ¡°I- I-¡± Anilee shrunk into her shoulders. ¡°I thought I might wear it.¡±

    Illus shrugged. ¡°We go up the mountain and then¡­¡± he thought for a moment, wondering how much he should help her. ¡°If she¡¯s still up there, you can ask-¡±

    ¡°What?! Ask?!¡± Anilee pouted.

    ¡°Ani, I¡¯m not sure she¡¯s real. I think the fox made her to get us up that mountain like it made the one on the bridge.¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± Anilee grabbed the backpack strap and yanked it from Illus¡¯s shoulders. She opened her section and strife took her face. ¡°It¡¯s a mess in here!¡±

    Illus glanced over her shoulder and sure enough, the clothes were completely fine, just not folded. ¡°Is it in there or not?¡±

    She huffed and carefully emptied the pocket of her dresses. The pocket in question was the largest pocket, stuffed to the brim with clothes, cosmetics, and drawing supplies so much that nothing else could fit in the backpack. Had Illus not packed his own bag so lightly, Anilee would not have had any food or toiletries. Now, all of that was strewn around the backpack and Anilee despaired in her lack of a nightgown.

    Illus¡¯s eyes were still locked on the woman atop the mountain. She seemed so peaceful, silently gazing toward the horizon while her hair lightly waved in the wind. He wondered if she may be a mirage, or perhaps another entity like the fox.

    Anilee smacked the bag. ¡°She has it! She stole my nightgown!¡± She yelled to the woman on the mountain. ¡°That is my nightgown you have on!¡±

    The masked woman turned her head toward Anilee and smirked, then back to the distance. Illus sighed for the climb he would have to endure. Not because he would struggle, but because Anilee would assuredly be miserable the whole way up.

    Illus began up the stairs which zigged and zagged upward. They were overgrown by moss; cracked and littered with roots.

    ¡°Illus, are you not going to bring my bag?!¡± Anilee stood up, the mess a pile around her feet.

    He didn¡¯t bother turning around. ¡°Pack it up quickly and leave it in a safe spot.¡±

    ¡°What if it gets stolen?!¡±

    ¡°Carry it if that pleases you, but it is my honest opinion that we will not be needing a pack of dresses atop the mountain.¡±

    She pouted, stuffing the bag full again. Everything was overflowing out of the top, unable to be shut. She dragged the bag beneath a tree and hurried to catch up.

    Their gentle foot taps echoed through the swishing leaves, a cool, calm walk. The path zigzagged across the front of the mountain, which made a long climb of what was a rather short mountain. They saw little by way of sights, as the sightlines were blocked by trees for most of the hike. Up the stairs they walked for well over two hours before Anilee¡¯s huffing and puffing brought her to a seat to catch her breath.

    ¡°Hm?¡± Illus turned around, not a sweat broken. ¡°We¡¯re nearly there, do you not want your gown?¡±

    ¡°We-¡± Anilee was trying to breathe. ¡°We- we¡¯ll see her¡­ come down the stairs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if spirits or ruin entities need to use the stairs, Ani. She could very easily be gone already.¡±

    Anilee scrunched her beet red face at him, aggressively downing her canteen of water.

    Illus shrugged and sat on a step. ¡°It¡¯s your dress.¡±

    ¡°And who did she steal it from, Illus? Who has been in charge of my bags?¡±

    ¡°She stole nothing, Ani, I gave it to her.¡±

    Anilee turned to Illus with more vitriol than he had ever seen her express.

    He shook his head. ¡°Gosh, you can¡¯t ever tell when I¡¯m joking, Ani. What, do you want an apology? I¡¯m sorry your dress got stolen. It¡¯s a dress. You can get another if we can¡¯t get it back.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re simply fine with being stolen from now? Where is your pride, your dignity?!¡±

    Illus laughed out loud. ¡°Ani, I¡¯m unsure if we have had the same experience here. That fox understands human speech, makes mirages, and laughs at our torment. It probably stole your dress, and normally I would be just as infuriated, but I am of the belief that there are powers outside of our control here. And if a dress is all that¡¯s stolen, then what¡¯s the worry?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the nightgown my mother gave me!¡± She was almost in tears again. ¡°Do you not care about anything anymore? What changed?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not worth caring about when our lives are potentially at stake.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Her eyes broke. ¡°So you don¡¯t care about me anymore?¡±

    If he hadn¡¯t seen this so many times before, he might have had remorse, but there was also something freeing about not having to rescue her from herself at every turn.

    ¡°Of course I care about you, not the dress.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t you want to make me feel good?¡± She rose, stepped close to Illus and gazed at him, her glassy eyes inquisitively reading his face.

    He met her desperate pearls with faux apathy, a sinking feeling in his chest, but doing what Sator insisted would work. ¡°It¡¯s not up to me if you feel good or not, Ani. That¡¯s a personal endeavor.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± She tugged at his shirt expectantly.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± That irritated him. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Buy a new dress when you get home if she won¡¯t give it back.¡±

    ¡°For us, Illus. Is that it?¡±

    Illus¡¯s heart fell, but he forced resilience. ¡°Y-yes. You¡¯re not willing and I¡¯m through waiting. Now we know each others¡¯ intentions and we can move forward accordingly.¡±

    ¡°Then why does it feel like we never even tried?¡±

    He immediately wanted to yell out ¡°Because you never wanted to,¡± but he just took a breath. Then a thought of his own fault hit him and Illus¡¯s heart sank further, afraid to confront that question that racked his mind every night, that ¡°What if¡­?¡± And then he remembered every one of his advances being met with blatant ignorance and denial.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ani.¡± Illus turned away. ¡°Well, you¡¯re up. Let¡¯s climb this mountain and you can ask for your dress back, yeah? I¡¯m quite enjoying this trip, so I would rather not sully this victory with needless drama.¡±

    They carried on silently, Anilee trailing behind Illus all the way up, stopping whenever he would to maintain the distance, even when he stopped to finally see the view.

    The land around them was forested, largely flat, the mountain being the only major feature. Sprawling swaths of gently swaying trees in all directions, some ponds and lakes dotting the landscape.

    He glanced back down at Anilee, who averted her eyes a moment too late. She had been staring at him. His mind raced as to why. Was she trying to figure him out? Had she always stared at him with his back turned and he¡¯d simply never noticed? Or was it a ploy to win his affections back? He didn¡¯t know, so he continued the walk upwards.

    Whirling winds swirled at the rocky peak, though small it was. The landscape sprawled out before them, an ocean of green surrounding the island they stood atop, its shores dotted with columns of granite, a few granite buildings and gazebos, and the rose gardens which formed a wall around the entire site, all the way to where the mountain became too steep to climb. On the opposite side of the ruins was a crystal clear lake where the waters were still too low to flood the rivers on either side of the ruins. And of course, the masked woman was in the same spot, though standing, she gazed out to where the sun was meeting the horizon, away from Illus and Anilee.

    She stood solemnly. Her unnaturally blue hair seemed to shift in the golden hour, a blue as deep and pale as the sky just after sunset, but moments prior to the first star¡¯s shine. The ethereal glow that appeared to emanate from her begged to question if she was even real.

    ¡°You-¡± Anilee heaved, ¡°you have my¡­ nightgown! And I want it back, now!¡±

    Illus grabbed Anilee¡¯s arm and held her back from approaching the woman. ¡°I apologize emphatically. We have no ill intentions, but you alarmed-¡±

    The woman held her hand up to stop him, only turning her head halfway to see them. The ivory fox mask was incredibly detailed upon closer inspection, decorated by blues and golds in geometric shapes. Her gentle voice was akin to a flowing brook or a lightly rustling tree. ¡°It¡¯s quite nice on the skin, but I will oblige. If she desires this gown now¡­¡± She untied the sash and let the fabric fall down her lithe shoulders.

    ¡°N-no!¡± Anilee yelled in embarrassment, shielding Illus¡¯s eyes.

    She caught the gown from falling. ¡°Do you not want it?¡±

    Anilee stammered in gibberish, infuriated that she was losing her gown, but more worried about Illus seeing the woman in such a compromised way.

    Illus lowered Anilee¡¯s hand as the woman smirked and raised the gown. ¡°Please keep it, a token of our respect and good will. If I may inquire a little,¡± he started, ¡°we are explorers in search of Imahken.¡±

    ¡°A bit late, hm?¡±

    ¡°Are you¡­¡± Illus wasn¡¯t sure how to ask what he wanted to ask. ¡°Are you a descendent, or perhaps from the time? Is this truly Imahken?¡±

    ¡°Has asking a woman her age become etiquette since the last explorers found me here?¡±

    Had this magical lady any wrath or spite in her? She seemed rather casual, but Illus feared what would become of asking too many wrong questions, at a loss for what to say next. ¡°Well, I mean no-¡±

    The woman nodded before her jovial tone and smile faded. ¡°Imahken ceased to be with its people. We stand upon mere memories.¡±

    Frozen and stuttering Anilee seemed more starstruck than scared. ¡°You- you- you- are you the keeper?¡±

    The woman took a deep breath in and turned toward the setting sun. ¡°I am the remnant of a lost era, the keeper of time¡¯s tomb, the watcher of all who enter my domain.¡±

    ¡°Um,¡± Illus interjected, ¡°to backtrack a phrase or two, you said you met the last explorer to arrive here. Did you meet one by the name of Jiremont Carmonia?¡±

    ¡°A word of advice,¡± she ignored his question, ¡°keep your eyes high so long as you are here, the sky is not always so lovely as this one, but it is as a golden dream in the days before the rainy season. Be away before the rivers grow, lest you be trapped in this world until they dry at the end of next summer.¡±

    Illus lowered his head, stepping back. ¡°Of course. Apologies, we did not mean to disturb your evening sunset. We will be on our-¡±

    She put up her hand again. ¡°I have witnessed thousands of sunsets as brilliant as this one will be, and I will yet witness thousands more. Visitors have not seen this sunset in centuries, so please you, let this one be a gift repaid by speaking nothing of me.¡±

    She leapt off the peak as though featherlight,hopping from stone to treetop the whole way down, disappearing into the foliage.

    Anilee took a sharp breath in. ¡°Is she alive? Did she-¡±

    ¡°Heavens!¡± Illus¡¯s mouth was wide open as he raced to the edge to watch. ¡°No, she¡¯s well. Ani, this is precisely why we need to not be demanding of the entities here.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t- I hadn¡¯t realized that¡­ do you think she could kill us with magic?¡±

    Illus¡¯s face filled with bewilderment. ¡°We haven¡¯t the slightest clue how magic operates. I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Anilee put her hand on her heart and sat. ¡°This is all becoming too much for me.¡±

    ¡°We had no way of knowing- of expecting this.¡± He sat beside her. ¡°Perhaps we should take her advice.¡±

    Anilee shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t have the energy to walk back down yet.¡±

    ¡°No, I meant that we should watch the sunset.¡±

    Anilee looked at him like he was crazy, forgetting her own exhaustion to ridicule him. ¡°After all of that, you want to sit here and watch the sun? You can do that anywhere. We need to be documenting these ruins, searching for her! She is a resource like no other if she truly is from ancient times, and you let her get away!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think she would have answered my question about Carmonia if she wanted to talk about the past?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s deflecting for some reason, but imagine what she could tell us! The poem said something about taking off a mask for a reward. Illus, do you think that if we steal her mask, we earn a reward?¡±

    Illus got lost in Anilee¡¯s speculative eyes, dreaming, imagining whatever she saw in her head. ¡°What?¡±

    She scowled at him. ¡°Why do you always look at me like that? Am I that dirty? Is there something on my face?¡± She began wiping at her cheeks and forehead.

    He lost all the fight he had, tired of the back and forth, exhausted from not knowing if she would ever accept him, and frustrated with her constantly miserable attitude. ¡°I¡¯m looking at you like this because I¡­ I loved seeing you so happy living your dream. All I want for you is to be happy.¡±

    She stopped wiping her face, silent with astonishment.

    Illus sighed, caught in the moment. ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Ani? This game of ¡®will he, won¡¯t she¡¯ is exhausting to no end. I thought that finally getting you alone as you are, you may finally respond authentically, but getting to know you is such a struggle, always. Why, Ani? Is there a shred of regard in there for me or am I the fool thinking you ever cared?¡±

    Anilee pulled her knees in close to her chest and side-eyed him. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Illus¡¯s head fell and he clenched his eyes shut. ¡°What?!¡± He raised his eyes to her. ¡°What don¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡­ love is supposed to be like. What it feels like.¡±

    Illus relaxed his tired face. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but I think that¡¯s part of learning. Do you think you might love me, or you might be able to?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ maybe.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Illus bit his cheek in thought. ¡°Perhaps we can treat this like an investigation, or research, then. Take a logical approach. What do¡­ what could you¡­ love about me? If you do.¡±

    Anilee buried her face in her knees, still peeking at him with her dark brown eyes. ¡°I like¡­ how you bring me tea and goodies when I¡¯m researching. How you always have a way to make me happy when I¡¯m sad. How you help me carry the things that are too heavy for me.¡± She furrowed her brows and rambled an excuse as if by instinct. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to justify my affections.¡±

    Illus¡¯s heart sank, realizing that her favorite things about him were that of a butler.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Anilee mumbled into her dress, too embarrassed to look at him. ¡°What do you¡­ love¡­ about me?¡±

    He barely had to think. ¡°I love how you see a mystery and so diligently pick it apart. I love seeing you smile when I bring you tea and goodies. I love when you fall asleep on that couch we¡¯re always researching on, and I get to tuck you into a blanket.¡±

    ¡°Those last two aren¡¯t about me,¡± she whispered into her dress, ¡°they¡¯re just things I do.¡±

    His heart sank further, so much so that he was locked in a rough war with a tear in his right eye.

    He continued. ¡°I love your persistence and dedication to realizing your dreams. I love how you always care so much how you look, and yet I¡¯m still mesmerized every time I see you, even now. I love how you take the time out of your day to teach the schoolchildren ancient history-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just a thing I do! Do you love me, or do you just love me for the things I do? I want all of your love, not just admiration and favor. Give me your love, only for me and nobody else.¡± Her frustrated eyes glowed like honey in the golden rays of the sunset.

    Illus lost the battle with his eye, but he thanked that sunset that it was the eye she could not see. He shook his head and stared forward, the radiant heat warming his face.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Ani. I guess I don¡¯t love you.¡±

    ¡°You only think you love me. You don¡¯t know what real love is.¡±

    Illus was positively irked at her hypocrisy, seeing the reality of the situation more clearly now, but he held back. ¡°Perhaps we should just enjoy the sunset silently.¡±

    His eyes went beyond the warm, rich-toned sunset spanning around the mountain, the gradient of night behind him. His mind was lost in the light, wondering why he ever fell for Anilee.

    Then he felt a hand on his. Anilee scooted closer, much closer than she had ever been. She leaned against him and picked his hand up, lacing her fingers into his. He turned to her and before he could say or do a thing, she kissed him. Her hand rested on his cheek, her tongue pushing his mouth open, and then they tasted of each other with full fervor. He set his hands on Anilee¡¯s waist, gently holding her like he had dreamt of doing for so long.

    And yet the taste was so soured.

    Illus released his lips from hers, but held close, breathing in the intoxicating warmth of her every exhale. She stared into his eyes expectantly, a bashful smile, yearning breath.

    If there was ever a moment, a time to ask for her hand and take out the ring, Illus knew it was then. Surely she was coming around to him now, right?

    He pulled his hand from her waist and set it on his pocket, fighting the desire to pull Anilee close and embrace her more deeply. His hand wouldn¡¯t reach in his pocket, nor would his face move closer to hers.

    His breath calmed, and he found himself reading Anilee¡¯s eyes. They weren¡¯t in love with him, not that he could tell. Illus saw no affection, just desperation. Like she kissed him because she knew no other way to keep him.

    Illus sat back, propping himself up on the hand he was going to grab the ring with. He smiled at her and pulled her head onto his shoulder, watching the sunlight finally disappear beneath the horizon. He held her through the twilight until finally they were alone in the center of the deep black sky, peppered by millions of stars, the full moon casting pale light onto the mountaintop.

    Anilee kneeled next to Illus, brushing her hand against his cheek once more. ¡°If you love me, then why did you stop kissing me?¡±

    Illus couldn¡¯t bear to look her in the eyes any more. ¡°If it was any other day these past five years, Ani, I would still be kissing you.¡±

    ¡°Then why not now?¡± She desperately pouted into his ear. ¡°Why not anymore? Nothing¡¯s changed.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve not changed, Ani, I have.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Her high pitched whining almost sounded like despair. ¡°I didn¡¯t know before, Illus, but you showed me. I love you.¡±

    A heart sunken any deeper would have no time to resurface from drowning. Illus wanted to hear those three words for so long, and here they were, feeling so insincere.

    She pulled his face closer. ¡°Why can¡¯t you love me anymore?¡±

    ¡°Because you only pull me in when you¡¯re about to lose me, Ani. Every time.¡±

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t want you to go, Illus. I-¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m beginning to see the full picture.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She grabbed his hand. ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re not acting like yourself! You¡¯re not making any sense, Illus!¡±

    ¡°It makes no sense to me either, Anilee, why you say this now but show me never. Not on any normal day or even when I am low. Only when I dare question why I have stayed.¡± Illus croaked, years of frustration welling up in him. ¡°It¡¯s always me doing your bidding, then you begging for me back when I start to pull away, but somehow it¡¯s my fault?! And now this? Am I supposed to believe that you kissed me because you love me when even on our nights alone you refused any intimacy, any care, any empathy?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready, Illus, I- you¡¯re not making any sense right now! Do you hear yourself? I love you, but I was scared before, but-!¡±

    A burning sensation raged through Illus¡¯s chest, surging through his mind like a fever lusting for a cure. He had no clue what the feeling meant, but he pulled Anilee in and kissed her again. This time was more drawn out, ravenous and desperate, hands wrapping around each other. She reached up his shirt, and he pulled her body against his, lavishing in the sensation of her hands on his skin, the soft press of lips, and the taste of each other¡¯s mouths. After so many years of desire built up and finally broken down, Illus let Anilee have her way on that mountain top in the pale moonlight.

    A chill slipped into the warm summer winds, night¡¯s whisper that only drew them closer, tighter in embrace. And the wind carried the bang of a rifle shot on it, one which erupted at the foot of the mountain.

 Hidden faces are shade â€˜neath light

    Anilee fell off Illus at the sound of the distant rifle shot, clutching her hat like she had just been the target. Illus jumped up, trying to see if there were any lights in the distance, but nothing. Adrenaline surged through him, so he pulled Anilee to her feet, threw his pack over his shoulders, and flashed the window of his lantern down the mountain.

    Flash, flash. No response came so he flashed again. The icy mountain air whirled around them, but Illus¡¯s spine chilled from the thoughts of his sister and Sator in peril.

    ¡°Ani, come now, we need to go!¡± Illus started down the steps, tugging her along behind him.

    Anilee pulled back. ¡°And do what, Illus? We cannot make it down in time, and they were probably hunting something.¡± She stepped forward, guiding Illus¡¯s hand around her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to keep going? See where it leads?¡± She caressed his bare chest, down his core.

    He pulled away, the adrenaline dominating his emotions. ¡°I¡¯ve just heard a rifle shot and gotten no response by light, Ani! From my best friend and my bloody sister! There is no time to waste if something has happened!¡±

    ¡°Illus, but-¡±

    Illus yelled into Anilee¡¯s face with more rage than he had ever shown her. ¡°Then you wait! Sit atop this mountain the rest of the night and I¡¯ll fetch you at dawn! You¡¯ll only slow me down anyway!¡±

    He pushed the bag into her, knocking her onto her rear, then picked up his shirt and took off in a jog down the steps.

    <hr>

    Sator woke up to a cold emptiness where Tyza should have been. From outside she yelled ¡°Give it back, fox!¡± Then her footsteps ran away.

    Sator shot up, his hand landing on Tyza¡¯s bag where her head was supposed to be. The chalice was gone too. He stumbled out of the tent in a dazed panic, searching for where she went, then his eyes caught lantern light moving toward the gully.

    ¡°Ty! Tyza!¡± He tripped over roots, stumbling through the tree limbs until he was flat on his face, scrambling to his feet again.

    His mind raced about what she was doing until his mind finally registered what he heard. ¡°Tyza! The fox! Stay away from the fox!¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if his voice would reach her to pierce the fox¡¯s magic, but he kept screaming her name nonetheless.

    Suddenly, through the moonlight, he caught a glimpse of light disappearing into the tunnel that the fox had come from. He forced his way through the overgrowth, spotting light down the stairs. From his panicked rush and the shred of moonlight illuminating the corridor, it appeared safe. He held his fear at bay and trespassed into the space the fox had warned of. What he had not considered was the possibility of a false step, and when his foot found nothing beneath it, he tumbled down the stone stairs, the faint moonlight disappearing, head slamming stone until finally he was spinning in the depths, warm liquid dripping down his ear, blind except for a pale glow at the top of the stairs.

    Lantern light appeared directly above him- Tyza. No, a shimmering projection of Tyza holding a lantern as the fox cackled madly next to his aching body. The revolving walls were made of bones, the dusty floor littered with age-old remains.

    ¡°A specter to test, then to you the rest.¡± The fox whispered. ¡°The others are safe from ghosts and ghouls, while you and your love perish in pools!¡±

    All light died. Sator tried screaming, but the most he could force out was a weak groan. The fox bit the scruff of Sator¡¯s shirt and dragged him further into the catacombs.

    <hr>

    Tyza inhaled the cool night air, gazing at the mosaic of the masked woman before returning to the tent from her latrine break. ¡°Thank you,¡± she quietly muttered, then opened the flap of the tent.

    Her heart froze. A chill ran down her spine as everything she worried about was coming to fruition.

    Sator was gone, his rifle by where he had been laying. The fox hadn¡¯t toyed with them the night it listened in, nor any other times after it tried to scare Illus and Sator. She cursed herself for not shooting it sooner. She grabbed the rifle and turned around to see the masked woman there, long, ethereal blue robes drifting in the night breeze.

    ¡°The fox lured him toward the cave! Surely he will make it your love¡¯s grave!¡± She pointed to the gully, the fox casually sauntering from the trail to the square.

    Without hesitation, Tyza raised the rifle and shot the fox. The blast sent shocks through the night air, sharp ringing pervading in her ears. The fox spun through the air, the bullet sending it into a bush.

    ¡°You must go!¡± The woman hollered. ¡°No time to be slow!¡±

    Tyza took off toward the trail in a frenzy, the woman shimmering and disappearing in blue haze behind her.

    <hr>

    Illus held his rhythm steady, the lantern light disorienting him every step. To trip and fall now would spell disaster for him, but he couldn¡¯t imagine what had caused his sister or Sator to fire off a shot. They had plenty of rations and a very limited supply of cartridges, so they wouldn¡¯t fire for nothing.

    He stumbled, twisting his ankle, but staying steady in his run. The pain was nothing to him.

    Suddenly, fingers brushed the back of his neck. Before he could turn his head to look, she was already ahead of him on the trail, the masked woman in Anilee¡¯s nightgown.

    Illus¡¯s body resisted less with each step, like gravity all but ceased. His feet drifted above the soil in bounding leaps.

    ¡°Beneath the bridge lies a tunnel into darkness, where it has taken your friend,¡± she ran alongside, ¡°leap here, land there, watch your step.¡± She pointed to an outcropping of rock that broke off from the stairs. ¡°Hold each other close and do not let go.¡±

    Illus had too much momentum to stop and too little gravity to firmly plant his feet. Careening over the edge he soared head over heels, the canopy above him rolling into a sprawling starscape, wind rushing around him. In that gentle freefall the world became silent. Light body and unafraid of impact in a still night. Amazement overcame him, the surreal sensation of falling so slowly, as if soaring through a dream. His hair fell out of its tie, white strands lightly whipping before his pale gray eyes. The masked woman glanced over the edge he fell from, and she pointed down.

    Then Illus whacked into a tree, landing in the branches. Still light as a cloud, he pulled himself up, grabbing onto the tree so as to not drift off again, and spotted the bridge.

    He looked up to her. ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Illus leaped, the ground below soaring past his eyes, aimed directly for the gully beneath the bridge. He tried grabbing branches in the canopy, but flipped around, twirling in circles until he smacked the ground. He whirled to his feet just in time to see another lantern¡¯s light disappear into an overgrown tunnel. It was his sister.

    ¡°Tyza!¡± Illus yelled, bounding toward her.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    She ignored him, tears and panic across her face as she disappeared into the darkness. Illus raced to the tunnel, almost careening past it had he not clutched a vine. Tyza blindly raced down the stairs and Illus chased after her. He watched her foot fall through a step and jumped down to catch her.

    Illus reached as far as his body would let him until his hand caught the back of her head. It was colliding with the corner of a step when her body became lighter with him. They spun wildly down the stairs, Illus holding onto her for dear life until they finally bounced around at the bottom. Tyza¡¯s eyes cleared, confusion taking hold of her face for a moment, then spotted a slurry of bloody bone dust at the base of the stairs. She held the lantern forward. The walls glowed dismal chalky yellows and grays, human bones making up the walls of the muted stone corridor as far as the light reached.

    ¡°Sator!¡± Tyza screamed down the tunnel, then took off following the trail of blood. Her voice echoed a thousand times over, dissipating lighter until it became like a chuckle from the abyss.

    Pitch darkness snuffed all light from traveling farther than a stone¡¯s throw. Hollow skulls watched the siblings tread into the silent catacombs, their wicked smiles mocking the living as jawless skulls love to do. They came to an intersection where the trail of blood turned left. Tyza took off, too panicked to look closer.

    ¡°Stop, Tyza!¡± He grabbed her arm, holding his own lantern down the way forward. The dust and scattered bones on the floor were thicker forward, and Illus caught a flash of red beneath the bones.

    Tyza followed his eyes, then they shared a glance. They stepped forward with trepidatious steps, wary of false floors and potential traps. The walls were littered with holes and divots, the floors littered in too many bones to confidently step anywhere. A faint scratching sound emanated from ahead of them, and Tyza raised the rifle, taking point.

    ¡°Sator?¡± Tyza asked of the darkness, but all it returned was more scratching and scraping, louder the farther they traipsed. Finally, their lanterns illuminated the edge of the fox¡¯s black and blue pelt.

    Tyza yanked the bolt back and chambered another cartridge, aimed it at the fox and fired without a moment¡¯s hesitation.

    ¡°Ty!¡± Illus threw his arm out, knocking the barrel upward. The deafening blast silenced everything except for a high pitched whirring of the bullet ricocheting down the tunnel. Gunsmoke trickled into their noses, overpowering the musty smell of the underworld.

    Just as she fired, the fox leapt over Sator¡¯s limp, injured body. It had intended for her to shoot Sator. Tyza and Illus reeled from the blast, brutal ringing blocking them from communicating.

    The fox was gone. Sator laid still in a pool of blood, his head badly split. Tyza pushed the rifle into Illus¡¯s arms and took off toward Sator. She pulled him to her chest, tears streaming down her face. He sputtered air to her, eyes in a daze.

    Illus squeezed next to her, grabbing Sator, who he raised into the air with ease. He cradled Sator¡¯s head and fought against his fears, allowing the adrenaline to push him further.

    ¡°It¡¯s a straight shot, Tyza! Follow me!¡±

    Her ears struggled to make sense of his words through the muffled ringing, but she grabbed onto the back of Illus¡¯s shirt and they clumsily careened through the tunnels, then up the stairs and into the gully. Bounding forward, they reached the square and Illus yelled to Tyza.

    ¡°The first aid! Get whatever you can!¡±

    Illus pulled off his shirt and set Sator down, head on the bunched up cloth. His body lurched for a moment, stomach rising to his chest. Gravity returned to him. He glanced up at the mountain in time to see a blue silhouette leap away in the moonlight.

    Tyza raced into the tent and emptied her bag onto the ground, clothes, rations, and the chalice tumbling onto the tiles. Illus saved his questions and began administering aid. Sator was badly bruised, head bleeding, a gnarly bump growing next to his temple. Illus gently felt around Sator¡¯s cranium, not sure what to look for, but finding no oddities.

    He cleaned and bandaged Sator¡¯s head. The bleeding had stopped, but Sator would be in no condition to continue with the expedition. Tyza kneeled next to her husband, cradling his head in her lap, silently crying while stroking his hair.

    Illus sat back, the adrenaline cooling off, ears ringing, and body aching terribly. He was unsure of how long had passed, but the night had grown quite old when Sator finally awakened.

    ¡°My- my-¡± Sator heaved, weakly muttering to Tyza. ¡°Ty move¡­ my head. Augh.¡±

    Tyza gently lifted his head and set it back on the shirt. She sat at his side, clutching his hand. ¡°We¡¯re getting out of here, Sator, as soon as you can stand. We have-¡± She clambered to the chalice and held it above his face. ¡°We have it! We¡¯ll leave here and-¡± her face wrinkled, breaking down again. Thick bunches of tangled white hair dangled in front of her eyes. She raised her hand to push them back, instead crying into her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡± Sator wheezed. ¡°What¡¯s another scar?¡±

    ¡°Sator,¡± Illus interrupted, ¡°do you have any internal pains, broken bones, uh-¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sator clenched his face, ¡°just my head. I¡¯m dizzy and it hurts like the Dickens, but I¡¯ve had worse.¡±

    ¡°Okay, alright¡­ Where did you get that chalice?¡± Illus changed the subject to calm his sister down.

    Tyza wiped away her tears, a smile breaking free. ¡°The woman, her,¡± pointing to the mosaic, ¡°she gave it to us in exchange for a canteen and the beaver skin bag. The fox called her Enae.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Illus passed it back to her. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. What are you going to do with it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s solid gold, encrusted by the most beautiful emeralds I¡¯ve ever laid eyes upon. Ani will not know of it, and we will sell it. I don¡¯t know how much money we can make from it, but it should be enough to finally settle down.¡±

    Illus¡¯s face filled with excitement and he hugged his sister. ¡°Then once Sator¡¯s up, we¡¯re getting out of here. I¡¯m-¡± he got choked up, a chuckle breaking through, ¡°I always worried my baby sister would settle down before me, but here we are and I couldn¡¯t be prouder of you.¡±

    Tyza laughed at him, holding each other tight in their hug, and Sator even spared a few wheezes.

    He let go and glanced up the mountain, noticing the silhouette of Anilee up there.

    Tyza lightly slapped his arm, worriedly following his eyes up. ¡°Did you leave her up- oh dear.¡±

    Sator groaned and sat up, grabbing onto Illus and Tyza. ¡°Then we need to get going.¡±

    ¡°Sator,¡± Illus held him steady, ¡°you are in no condition to move!¡±

    Sator pointed up at the sky. ¡°No choice.¡±

    Ominous clouds rolled in the distance, slowly smothering the night sky in thick darkness.

    Illus stood up and yelled toward the mountain, ¡°Ani! Come down! I¡¯ll be back to get you!¡± He had no idea if his words reached her, but he had hope.

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave her up there,¡± Tyza grabbed Illus¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°She can make it down before the clouds roll in. All we have to do is get to the other side of the river, then we¡¯re safe and we¡¯ll put him atop a mule. We take Sator now, Ani works her way down, and I¡¯ll cross again to make sure she gets back okay. I¡¯ll grab what bags I can, everything.¡±

    Tyza nodded. She tossed everything back in her bag and helped Illus walk Sator down to the river. Their lanterns were all they had for light, and the world darkened even further once the clouds smothered the moon. The light drizzle quickly turned into heavy rain by the time they reached the wall of roses. Vines slithered like snakes before them, the darkness concealing their depths. Passing the fountain, Tyza cleared her throat.

    ¡°Tyza what-¡±

    She shushed her brother.

    ¡°We are-¡± a rose at the end of a vine lurched out at her, stopped in front of her, and rubbed the rose against her hand as if feeling her. ¡°We are sorry for the fright we caused you. May we please pass?¡±

    The rose crept toward her face, then back to her hand where it released the rose into her palm. She held the rose forward and the vines parted. They passed through in silence, quietly and cautiously observing the writhing hedge around them.

    Once out, they continued slowly down the hill. One wrong step in the wet soil could send Sator to his death and injure the others, but their time to get out grew thinner every second spent moving so carefully. The stream below had already grown stronger. Their time was running out quickly. Tyza and Illus helped Sator up the series of ledges, then they all stumbled to the top, gasping for breath beneath a thick roof of leaves.

    Muted light crept up the distant horizon and the storm clouds only grew darker, heavier. Thunder clapped above them, and Illus forced himself to stand, his muscles exhausted.

    ¡°Be careful Illus, please!¡± Tyza handed him the rose. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can kill the fox, but the rifle at least hurts it.¡±

    Illus nodded, took a swig from his canteen, and checked the oil of the lantern on his belt. He pushed his wet hair back and climbed down to refill his water in the stream. With a silent prayer that Anilee would be down the mountain by the time he arrived, he began his return trek into the ruins.

 By masks that tell more than our sight.

    The vines parted, untangling their coiled chaos brought on by the crashing thunder and bludgeoning rain. Illus ran through a storm swell, his range of vision cut to barely ten feet until the torrent clouded all else around him in swirling darkness. The lantern swung from his belt like mad, slowly filling with water, like a timer to retrieve Anilee and retreat back to the other side of the river.

    His uphill battle found cobblestones and shattered tile, the mosaic of the masked woman callously watching him from her splendor.

    Then he heard splashing in the rain behind him, and whirled around to see nothing.

    ¡°Ani!¡± He screamed into the storm, overshadowed by a crash of lightning. ¡°Ani!¡±

    Splashing, yet again, behind him. Small, light footsteps. Could it be the woman? Or worse, the fox. He ignored it.

    Panting in the rain, his ankle was beginning to ache more, swelling with the storm.

    He took off toward the bridge, up the stairs and across more overgrown tiles.

    Cackling broke the rhythmic crashing of rain behind Illus. He tossed the rifle over his shoulder and drew his machete. Rain clashed into his eyes, the wind berated his face, and his own hair whipped around in front of him. To see, to hear, to sense anything around him was nigh impossible. Soaked to the bone, and sloshing in his boots, he sprinted for the bridge, pushing through the surging pain in his ankle.

    ¡°Ani! Where are you?!¡± He screamed out the moment he stepped onto the collapsed roof of the bridge, careful not to slip and tumble over the edge.

    A voice called back.

    ¡°Time, young Illus, runs from us!¡±

    The fox howled laughter ahead of him. As Illus crossed, his lantern illuminated the soaked, matted fox sitting upon the wall of the bridge, smiling that wretched, elongated smile.

    ¡°Take care to find her spot, lest ye miss her for naught!¡±

    Illus paid the fox no mind, already having prepared himself for the unwelcome idea that Anilee had been too scared to go down the mountain alone. She had a lantern, but Illus wouldn¡¯t be able to see it from afar in this storm.

    No dull dawn glow assisted Illus. The clouds blocked all light from reaching the soil as he began his ascent up the stairs.

    Suddenly the lightning flashed and the fox leapt at Illus from atop the stairs. Illus slipped on the first step, tumbling onto his back. But the fox did not land on him, nor attack. It laughed from behind him. The sloshy mud seemed to drag Illus down, every movement a chore to rise back to his feet. Growling rose up from behind him, growing closer until he took off up the slick granite steps, flailing the machete toward his rear.

    Lightning flashed again. The growl became a bark which was closing the distance. Yet above Illus, at the top of the steps stood the woman in Anilee¡¯s robe, the ornate fox mask¡¯s eyes flaring an ethereal blue.

    ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡± Her voice boomed like a raging river around Illus, overtaking the wind and thunder, bursting harsh vibrations that rattled Illus to the core and scattered the rain.

    The fox dissipated into wispy black and blue mist and dispersed around Illus. He stopped for a brief moment, unable to see her, but reeling from the shock of what just happened.

    ¡°I can do no more!¡± She yelled through the rain to Illus. ¡°Make haste, the fox returns as you tarry!¡±

    Illus¡¯s feet were heavy, his arms exhausted, his throat parched, but he ascended the steps with haste. The woman was nowhere to be seen as he sprinted up slick mountain steps. Streams of water rushed down the slopes, catching his feet, flash floods carving paths through breaks in the stairs.

    ¡°Anilee!¡± Illus croaked. His breath became more staggered, more labored, but he had to reach Anilee. He had to. No rationale in his mind could contend with that fact. He had to get Anilee out of the ruins or she would certainly die.

    Time became a blur as he ran up the winding staircase, leaped flash floods and slipped on steps. He slammed his knees into so many corners, bloodied his hands on so many roots, and twisted his ankles so many times that he knew soon he wasn¡¯t going to be able to get back up. As he reached nearly halfway up the mountain, light flickered through the rain and mist ahead.

    ¡°Ani! Are you there?!¡± Illus stumbled forward, falling onto his knees, barely catching his breath. He reached her lantern, which was alone in the middle of the path.

    ¡°Illus?¡± Anilee cried weakly from the edge of the trail, taking shelter beneath a tree.

    Illus sloppily staggered over, meeting her on the ground with a hug and setting the lantern in her arms. ¡°What happened? Ani, are you hurt?¡±

    She struggled to move, sopping wet, dragging her foot like it was falling off. ¡°She pushed me from the mountain, Illus! I flew and flew and I hurt my knee and my ankle.¡±

    He reacted on the instant, hunching down in front of her. ¡°Ani, get on!¡±

    She slowly, arduously climbed on his back and Illus took off down the mountain. Grime or granite, sloppy or slick, it didn¡¯t matter. His legs carried him down as fast as they could, his lantern slammed his leg with every step he took, light unsteady. Seeing became more of a chore than running, and because of that, he missed a root, toppled over onto his face, and smashed between the ground and Anilee¡¯s body. Her death grip on him would not let up, even as he was face down in the mud. He struggled to pick his head up, trying to wiggle her off of his back and neck.

    He pushed up and jostled her aside, gasping for air as soon as his mouth was uncovered.

    Anilee rolled several feet, slipping on a granite stone. ¡°Illus!¡± She got up and rushed over to him. Injured, exhausted, and sopping wet, his mind caught up to the fact that Anilee wasn¡¯t actually injured as she slipped yet again on a block of muddy granite, toppling over onto her side.

    He rushed to her, his own limp catching up to him. He helped her to a seated position, but her injuries prevented her from standing.

    She began crying. ¡°Please, Illus, help me! It hurts!¡±

    Illus felt her leg, but nothing was out of order to touch. No blood, not even a bruise.

    ¡°From just then?! What happened?!¡±

    ¡°I slipped on the granite and twisted my leg. It hurts!¡± She wept into her knees.

    Illus grabbed her leg and tested its range of motion, still perfectly fine. No swelling, no popping, nothing. She didn¡¯t even wince. ¡°Get up, Ani, take your light- go! You¡¯re faster than me and we need to go yesterday!¡±

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    ¡°I can¡¯t, Illus! I think I broke it!¡± She threw her arms to the ground, weakly attempting to stand.

    ¡°Ani!¡± Illus grabbed her face, trying to calm her. ¡°You need to understand that there is no pain worse than the death you will face if you stay on this mountain. You have to try.¡±

    She pushed up, then weakly fell back on her rear. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Do you want to die, Ani?¡± Illus stroked her cheek, begging her to move. ¡°I certainly don¡¯t want you to die, but you need to get up and get down this mountain with me! I can¡¯t carry you any further!¡±

    Anilee broke even farther down into tears. ¡°I can¡¯t, Illus, why can¡¯t you?! Why do you hate me?! You¡¯re just fine and I can''t stand!¡±

    Frustration, rage, desperation drowned Illus¡¯s mind. He clutched the sides of Anilee¡¯s face, forcing her to look him in the eyes while he screamed into her face, completely losing control of his temper. If he couldn¡¯t convince her kindly, he could scare her badly enough that her own adrenaline would kick in. ¡°Then stop trying to make me hate you! I don¡¯t care! Shut up! Bloody bollocks, shut up and get up!¡± His voice rose to that of a war cry upon seeing her frozen in place. ¡°Get it together and bloody run, Anilee!¡±

    Horror grasped her face, not as though she heard him and listened, but as though she was terrified of this side of him that she had never seen.

    He pulled her up under her arms and yanked her along behind him. She held herself up fine, shock overcoming her haunted face. Illus stumbled forward, scrambling to push off of his free hand.

    Anilee kept pace with Illus as he stumbled and tripped his way down the mountain, much slower than before. In the back of Illus¡¯s mind, he was waiting for a blessing, for a touch and a whisper to let him leap like he did earlier, but nothing came. The woman was gone and Anilee tried to pull her hand free from Illus¡¯s deathgrip.

    Illus lost balance and slipped in the mud, letting go of Anilee and tumbling across a trench carved by the flash flooding.

    White flashed through his vision.

    Illus rolled up and out of the mud. An exhausted smile crept up his cheeks seeing Anilee take off like nothing, her lantern disappearing into the hazy darkness. He bobbed his head, wrenching his whole body to keep moving. His left foot struggled forward, followed by the right, then a little easier on the next step. Spots of red clouded his vision, a searing pain swelling in his head. He screamed, forcing his body forward into a jog, pushing through the sharp jolts in his knee and ankle at every step.

    Lightning crashed, thunder shaking the ground that instant. The thunder rumbled like a lion giving chase, and it motivated Illus to quicken his pace. His rhythm came back, his throat moistened by the rain, his fervor strengthened knowing he may still make it across in time.

    Illus emerged from the treeline and gazed up at the dim, gray sky of the early morning. His head spun, weary and sleepless, but eyes locked ahead on the bridge. The fox was nowhere to be found, nor the woman.

    Slowly he carried himself over the bridge, propping himself up on the wall the whole way across. The gully below thrashed with floodwater. One step at a time, quick, but careful, Illus crossed safely, then all he had to do was get through the roses.

    The roses.

    Anilee didn¡¯t have a rose, nor did she know how to get through.

    Illus raced down the steps, past the mosaic, through more forest until the winding wall was before him. Screaming. Anilee¡¯s screams echoed from the fountain. Illus spotted her bumbling into the fox hole they had crawled in through, the vines tightly constricting her legs, saved by her dress from the thorns.

    Illus raised the rose from his pocket, hunched over as if he was bowing. ¡°Please, dear roses, release her and let us pass. Please.¡±

    The roses halted, one tendril twisting in the air before Illus as if inspecting the flower. Then they released their tension, untethering Anilee from her hysterics.

    She collapsed into the mud as the vines let up, wailing like a newborn, so Illus picked her up in his arms, mustering one last surge of adrenaline to carry her down the valley. The knee high floodwaters were quickly rising, aggressively beating against every stone, every downed log. One wrong step would sweep anyone off of their feet.

    Tyza yelled out from across the valley, barely keeping composure. ¡°Illus! Get down there and I¡¯ll throw you the rope!¡±

    Anilee opened her eyes in a panic, gazing up at the bloody and battered Illus trudging down the hill. He was losing traction too fast, so he set his rear in the mud, clutched Anilee close, and set his feet out to brake himself before reaching the water.

    At least that was his plan.

    Unfortunately for Illus, Anilee thought he fell and pushed out of his arms. This threw them both into a wild roll down the hill. Illus¡¯s spinning head and weary body were at their breaking point, but he reached out for Anilee anyway, grasping her in his arms to break her fall, covering her head and neck with his arms.

    Then a flash and suddenly all was freezing cold as they plunged into the flood, the water battering them further downstream. Illus was under water when Anilee kicked off of him, using him to get herself out of the torrent. She manically pulled herself up the ledges while Tyza ran along the edge, trying to find her brother.

    ¡°Illus! Illus!¡± Tyza about lost her composure and leaped down had her husband not done it first.

    Sator grabbed the rope, guiding it down to where Illus had beached in the dirt, coughing water out of his lungs. Sator fastened the rope around Illus and picked him up, struggling in his own right to stand, then signaled Tyza to pull.

    The two gritted their teeth, trudging forward.

    The air seemed to fall still as the rain swelled again, hail bashing through the canopy, bludgeoning the men trying to climb.

    Illus pushed Sator forward, ¡°I¡¯m behind you! Climb!¡±

    Sator¡¯s bloodshot emerald eyes were fading in and out, his body struggling to stay upright the whole way up. Five ledges he had to climb. One ledge, he pulled himself up. The second ledge, he barely managed. On the third ledge, Sator¡¯s grip slipped and Illus pushed him up, wheezing and gasping for air, his lungs still stinging from the water.

    Illus followed directly behind him, Tyza doing her best to pull them up while Anilee huddled beneath a tree.

    From beneath that tree Anilee heard a mad cackle, then her fear consumed her. Her fear of Illus. In her eyes, his gasps and wheezes were whispers and curses toward her. She heard him saying how he would throw her back into the river when he got up, how he would steal her work, how he and the others were plotting to ruin her life. It didn¡¯t make sense. It didn¡¯t have to. Because in her fox-clouded mind, she was in danger and the only way to stop it was to be rid of them.

    Anilee raced to the packs and took Sator¡¯s machete, then made a beeline for the rope.

    Sator made it up the fourth climb with a push from Illus, but as Tyza was about to pull them up, Anilee slashed the rope in two.

    Tyza lost her grip and fell flat, the weight of two men far too much for her. Illus tumbled back on the third ledge, as he had been relying on the rope to hold himself up. Tyza finished pulling Sator up, who collapsed onto the edge.

    Rope cut, Anilee began toward Tyza, machete gripped tightly. Tyza spent everything she had assisting Sator, and the torrent of rain made it impossible for her to hear Anilee behind her.

    A tidal wave of crashing water shook the ground, a surge of runoff from the ruins along with a wave from the lake finally spilling out into the valley. The water was already as high as the second ledge. With Sator struggling to pick himself up and Tyza unaware, Anilee closed the distance. Illus caught a glimpse of her approaching with mere seconds before she would be close enough to slice Tyza down the back.

    ¡°Tyza! Duck!¡±

    Without a thought, Illus unclasped his flooded lantern and hurled it at Anilee. Tyza pulled her head down. The lantern soared over her and slammed Anilee¡¯s shoulder, knocking her out of her delirium and onto the ground. Tyza lost her hold on the wet rope when Illus shifted his weight so dramatically, though. He staggered back, then the ground rumbled again, sending him forward. He didn¡¯t even have time to react. The water swelled up to his ledge and swept his feet away.

    Before he knew it, he was soaring through the air, moving too fast to make sense of anything. He heard one final cackle from behind him, on the ruin side of the valley. Then everything became muffled and foggy.

    Tyza watched hopelessly as the wave swept him away. She rose to her feet, frozen, unbelieving of the events before her eyes. Tears melded into the raindrops on her cheeks before she even processed what was going on, then Sator staggered up to her, pulling her back from the edge where the water was still rising.

    Tyza didn¡¯t turn away, screaming out her brother¡¯s name, searching for him in the rapids as a curtain of blue mist rose from the river, blocking all sight across.

    Sator¡¯s head thrummed, struggling just to see. But he knew. Tyza¡¯s wailing screams were enough for him to be sure that he would never see his best friend again.

    Anilee rose to her knees. Tiny pouts underscored every sharp breath that escaped her lips. She cradled her shoulder, completely shocked and unaware of what was going on.

    With fatigue taking over, Sator collapsed into Tyza¡¯s arms, holding her hand as she collapsed into him, weeping into his shoulder.

    A shroud of vapor clouded the entire forest. All they could do was take shelter and wait out the rain.

 Words, spoken are secrets in cipher,

    Anilee arrived home in the middle of the night, famished and exhausted. After a month¡¯s travel to return, she wanted nothing more to do with the expedition, slamming the door in Tyza¡¯s face.

    Tyza fell still in a sullen, grief-stricken state, unwilling to involve herself any more in the matter of the ruins. Her purpose had been getting Sator out of the forest alive with Anilee in tow, which slowed their journey severely. Had Tyza not been lucky enough to kill a deer on the way through the forest and find a brook in the prairie, they would not have gotten out alive.

    Tyza stared blankly at the massive white door of the Uthman¡¯s mansion, locking eyes with the gargoyle knocker before turning away. She spent the night in the New Heraldsburg hospital next to Sator. With the constant travel, diminishing supplies, and humid conditions, Sator¡¯s wounds continuously reopened despite the constant maintenance Tyza did. His head showed signs of infection near the end of their return journey. The doctors said he would recover from his fractured skull if he didn¡¯t go septic, but the infection had gone untreated for a dangerously long time.

    She said nothing to anyone beyond what was necessary, keeping the golden chalice close in her backpack while she sat at Sator¡¯s bedside, feeding and comforting him. He could barely talk, struck with a high fever and debilitating side effects.

    The dingy beige blankets of the run-down hospital scratched at Tyza¡¯s head when she sat up and brushed her stark white hair back, swishing just above her shoulders by now. Her thumb caressed Sator¡¯s cheek, her dark eyes still dewey and red, as they had been since she lost Illus. Her heavy heart and dreary head did her no favors, devoid of all energy to function after focusing on survival so long. She sat by Sator¡¯s side and waited for him to wake up. If he didn¡¯t wake¡­ no, that wasn¡¯t a possibility in her mind.

    Early the next morning, Tyza woke up to a knock at the door, her eyes still puffy and red from getting no sleep.

    ¡°Thank you, nurse,¡± the commanding voice of Colonel Raymus Uthman was discreet and reserved today. He stepped into the hospital room in a long black coat and black slacks, wet from rain.

    Tyza¡¯s eyes acknowledged the Colonel, but she was too tired to think of anything to say.

    He stepped forward, taking off his flat cap and holding it before him. ¡°My daughter informed me of the expedition this morning. I apologize that I was not here sooner. You have my deepest condolences.¡±

    Tyza rubbed her tired eyes and took a deep breath in. ¡°Thank you, Colonel.¡±

    He passed an envelope across the bed to Tyza, then turned to Sator, still asleep and fighting off his fever. ¡°Ani told me what happened, but I would like to hear the truth from you and Sator when you¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°What did she say?¡±

    The Colonel sighed, taking a seat across from her. ¡°My daughter refused to speak to me until this morning. Then she told me that Illus left her stranded in the ruins, attacked her when he came back to get her, so she ran off without him.¡±

    Tyza sneered at the air, cursing under her breath.

    The Colonel noticed and cleared his throat. ¡°I have no reason to believe such an outrageous story, even from my own daughter. Illus was one of the best men I knew, and I would not have entrusted my daughter to him if he was not. You both came such a long way from when I took you in. I¡­¡± He stopped, afraid of worsening Tyza¡¯s bleak perspective.

    Tyza¡¯s eyes welled up more fervently, her eyes overcome by the pressure of tears. She held her hand over her eyes, trying not to break down in front of the Colonel, but her head exploded with memories of her brother, always by her side through the streets, through the military, as the one who walked her down the aisle of the her and Sator¡¯s tiny wedding in the reception hall on base. And Sator, her best friend, her lover, her husband. He had become everything to her off a chance meeting at the pub, and her entire future as she envisioned was with him, and hopefully children. All of that was quickly crumbling in front of her, and she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Her facade of strength broke apart. Hiccups and sharp breaths accompanied the streams of tears from her eyes.

    Colonel Uthman clutched his hat tightly and stepped around the bed, kneeling beside Tyza. Her head fell to his shoulder and he wrapped her in a fatherly hug. He remained silent and let her cry it out. She recovered herself a quarter of an hour later.

    The Colonel took on a reassuring tone, pulling his seat beside her. ¡°I have ordered this hospital to do everything they can to save Sator at my expense. He will make it out of here alive, you have my word. Please come by once you have yourselves sorted. As much as I hate to make you relive the experience, I need to have you report what happened in your brother¡¯s stead. Our home is open to you as long as you stay here. Please do not be afraid to accept our hospitality. It is the least I can do for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Colonel.¡± Tyza wiped her eyes and bade him farewell.

    She was grateful to have the Colonel around. Through it all, he had been there for her and all the other youth corps children. It raised her spirit, even if by a sliver.

    Meanwhile, Anilee was in the library, angrily steeping in her usual seat, reviewing all her research to be sure there were no mentions of anything supernatural when her door whirled open and slammed into the wall..

    Mrs. Uthman stormed to the couch, Anilee aloof to her existence.

    ¡°Anilee Grace Uthman,¡± her mother¡¯s voice bit into her venomously, ¡°you will tell me what happened to Illus-¡±

    Anilee raised her hand to her mother to silence her while she read.

    Anilee¡¯s mother grabbed her finger, twisting it backward with a sharp pop. ¡°This is not a matter you can wave away, Ani! Do you realize what your childish expedition-¡±

    With a scream and a futile slap to her mother¡¯s hand, she exclaimed ¡°it was not childish! You know nothing about it!¡±

    Mrs. Uthman pulled the fragile finger harder, yanking Anilee to her knees on the couch. ¡°Illus is dead and our family is being investigated for conspiracy, Anilee!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡±

    ¡°Then why did your butler bring classified documents from this library to the bloody intelligence headquarters to return them to your boyfriend¡¯s office?!¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t my boyfriend! He tried to kill me!¡±

    Mrs. Uthman snapped, screaming into Anilee¡¯s face. ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s the issue, Anilee, you stupid little witch?! Why did you have classified documents here?!¡±

    ¡°Dad¡¯s the Colonel! Tell them it was him-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to pin this on your father! He is the one cleaning up your mess right now!¡±

    ¡°Illus is the one who stole the documents! Not me!¡±

    Mrs. Uthman clutched Ani¡¯s jaw, digging her thumbs into Ani¡¯s cheeks. ¡°And now he¡¯s dead, Anilee! The military is investigating us right now because your boyfriend leaked classified documents to you, a civilian, and then died on your expedition that your father sponsored!¡±

    Anilee tried speaking, but her mother screamed over her.

    ¡°We are in the middle of a war and you have just destroyed our entire reputation! Illus disappeared with a plethora of classified information in his head and you¡¯re telling us that a magical fox got him?! No body?! No trace?! Rumors are spreading that he defected to the enemy! That the intelligence aid who your father sponsored, defected! Do you know what that means, Anilee?!¡±

    Tears poured down Anilee¡¯s face while she whimpered like a child. ¡°I don¡¯t know, mom! I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Mrs. Uthman scowled cruelly at her daughter, spattering saliva across Ani¡¯s face with every vitriolic word. ¡°Our family is going to lose everything because of you! You ruined everything! And look at you now, reading your books like nothing happened!¡±

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    Anilee simply wept in response. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mom! I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never been sorry about anything in your life or else you wouldn¡¯t still be ruining everything like you always do!¡±

    She threw Anilee back to the couch and stormed toward the door. Anilee laid on the couch crying, wondering why the world had it out for her, wondering why everyone always turned against her.

    From the door, her mother called back once more, more controlled than before. ¡°Your father has already informed his superiors that you will be organizing a recovery expedition at the same time next year. He will not be backing it. You will have to come up with everything by yourself. If you fail to recover Illus¡¯s body or provide answers as to what happened, don¡¯t bother coming home from it.¡±

    She slammed the door, shaking the entire library. Anilee shot up, completely over crying. Her mind raced through it all: seeing herself going out into the forest and dying, being ousted from her home and living on the streets, failing to find anything and becoming the sole reason her family collapses and she never gets her rightful inheritance.

    Anilee fell apart on the couch, crying and punching the cushions for upwards of an hour. She ran out of the library and locked herself in her room, scowling into the silver-trim mirror to begin a self portrait.

    The information breach was only slight, not rendering Anilee a security risk. In reality, it was the politics of the situation that backed Anilee into her corner. Every other wealthy family was taking this opportunity to destroy the old money and influence of the Uthmans by exaggerating the severity of the incident. A nasty bout of lawfare that would sink the family if not carefully handled.

    Days passed and Anilee simply carried on as if nothing had changed except her research. She scoured her notes and books, cursing Illus for losing her backpack with her most important journals. Later the same week, all of her remaining journals were confiscated to investigate for classified information. With all of her research lost or confiscated, she had nothing except for books and the knowledge of where the ruins were. The thought of putting on a second expedition completely unsponsored and with no monetary incentive for a solid crew daunted her, but the thought of losing her wealth terrified her beyond her own comprehension, enough to send her to the hospital for a visitation with Sator and Tyza.

    Tyza¡¯s sunken eyes locked on Anilee the instant she appeared in the doorway, a loud creak announcing her. Anilee meekly stepped toward the bed where Sator was still sleeping, his head wrapped and fever slowly still raging.

    ¡°Tyza,¡± Anilee declared with no regard for the sleeping patient, ¡°I need to talk-¡±

    Tyza grabbed Anilee¡¯s arm and threw her out of the room, quietly shutting the door to keep Sator from waking. She pushed Anilee toward a bench and silently waited for the beginning of whatever hogwash Anilee was about to feed her.

    Anilee restarted even louder than before, a touch of indignation at being forcefully moved. ¡°I need to talk to you.¡±

    Tyza held her glare, waiting.

    Anilee lowered her voice, ¡°I am sorry about what happened with Illus, but in light of everything that happened, there are some disturbing goings on that we will all be pulled into soon.¡±

    ¡°Okay, and?¡±

    Anilee¡¯s brows furrowed for a moment before she resumed her meek pretense. ¡°Because of these, we are all in dire straits which will require us to clear our names through procuring evidence regarding the events in the ruins.¡±

    ¡°Your father already said he would brief us once my husband is healthy.¡±

    A nurse passed by, side-eying the two ladies, causing Anilee to shift uncomfortably. ¡°Perhaps we can continue this somewhere quieter?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tyza peered through the window at Sator. ¡°Say what you want to say.¡±

    Anilee heavily sighed, trying to contain her frustration. ¡°These are matters of military confidentiality. We need to-¡±

    ¡°So you shouldn¡¯t be talking about it then. You¡¯re not military, never have been. Your father will tell us everything we need to know once he hears our side of the story.¡±

    ¡°That will not be necessary, Tyza,¡± Anilee raised her voice, ¡°I already told my father the full timeline, beginning to end. He knows everything that happened. Everything. He knows about the fox, the poem, and the flood that killed Illus.¡±

    Tyza didn¡¯t believe her at all, taking some enjoyment in seeing Anilee try desperately to prevent her father finding out what happened. ¡°Great. He¡¯ll be able to corroborate our stories to get the full picture then.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Anilee blurted out, her sharp voice bringing on the stares of passing patients and nurses. She fixed her sour expression and glanced around. ¡°This is why we need to discuss this privately.¡±

    Tyza set her hand on the doorknob, tired of Ani¡¯s antics. ¡°Sit in for the meeting, then. We¡¯ll go over it together.¡± She tried opening the door, and Anilee grabbed the handle, pulling fruitlessly against Tyza¡¯s force.

    Hate filled Anilee¡¯s glare, ¡°Tyza, your brother tried to kill me and this is how you¡¯re going to treat me?! Do you know what he did to me?! He-¡±

    Tyza postured, shoving her chest against Anilee and pushing her back, a wild sneer scaring Ani onto her back foot. Hateful whispers crept from Tyza as she pressed forward, backing Anilee down onto a bench. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say anything about my brother, you rotten little rat. After everything you put him through, you don¡¯t get to blame this on the only one there who tried to save your life and get you out of those ruins.¡± Anilee tried standing up to face Tyza head on, but she couldn¡¯t find her balance with Tyza pressing close.

    Nurses began stepping up, quietly keeping an eye on the situation.

    ¡°You¡¯re the reason he¡¯s dead, Anilee, because you¡¯re too pathetic to do anything right.¡±

    Anilee took to screaming over her. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything he did to me!¡± She yelled over Tyza, frantically listing the horrors which Illus committed against her. ¡°He grabbed me and dragged me across the ground! He yelled at me and told me he was going to kill me! He-¡±

    Tyza slapped Anilee, rage-induced tears simmering in her eyes. ¡°I wish somebody would. Now stay away from me and my husband.¡± She pushed a nurse off of her and quietly stepped into Sator¡¯s room as several nurses escorted Anilee away.

    In the following week, Sator¡¯s condition improved. His fever died and he was discharged from the hospital. They took to the streets with Sator in his head wrap and a crutch. Between poor memory, occasional bouts of vertigo, and migraines, his head injury was improving.

    Before departing New Heraldsburg, they paid a visit to the base and debriefed on the mission with Colonel Uthman. They spoke of the stone, the poem, the roses, the fox, the ruins and the river. They said nothing of the woman who gave them the chalice, nor the chalice. Colonel Uthman listened intently to their recounting of Illus¡¯s death and the manner by which the fox caused strife in their party, but he said nothing. At the mention of Anilee holding them up and attempting to kill them, his demeanor of authority broke. In the silence between their story and him writing the last details, he seemed to hunch over the paper, aggressively dragging the quill until it shredded a line in the paper.

    With the frustrated breath, he procured a new document and finished writing, though his dark brown eyes were darker than usual.

    ¡°I apologize for my daughter,¡± Uthman said, ¡°and please, have this.¡± He slid an envelope across the table.

    Tyza immediately protested, though weakly through slurred, tired words. ¡°Colonel, please, no more money is necessary.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Uthman pinched his brow, ¡°the first envelope was your payment for the expedition. This is from me. It is what I wish to give you for Illus¡¯s worth, though I fear no money can ever compensate the loss of such a man.¡±

    ¡°Colonel,¡± Sator fixed his posture, ¡°thank you, but what is the investigation trying to find from us?¡±

    The Colonel looked like he didn¡¯t want to answer. ¡°What I am about to say goes no further than this room.¡± Upon seeing both Tyza and Sator nod, he continued. ¡°At 0839 on the eighteenth of May this year, Illus checked out several classified files from records. He unlawfully transported the files, using their contents for the purpose of the expedition to Imahken. I cannot tell you more, as the investigation is still ongoing, but this event has done a great deal of damage to the reputation of myself and my family. I know it is not your fault, but the matter of fact is that Illus leaked classified documents for an unauthorized investigation.¡±

    Tyza racked her brain for a moment, the date of May eighteenth ringing a bell, but yielding no answers.

    Sator furrowed his brows, eyes wide, like he knew something. The Colonel nodded to him, and Tyza was left looking between the two. ¡°Do you think this is related to Ani¡¯s broken ankle?¡±

    The Colonel regrettably nodded. ¡°I have little doubt.¡±

    Tyza widened her eyes, remembering the night she and Sator were visiting the city for Illus¡¯s birthday, when Illus returned from the Uthman mansion in a sour, depressed mood. That night, after some cheering up and partying at the pub with their squad members, they received news that Anilee had accidentally fallen out of her second story window.

    ¡°I should have caught on sooner,¡± Uthman folded his hands in front of his mouth. ¡°Nevertheless, I will be accompanying my daughter in a separate party on this second trip to ensure and verify that she recovers exactly what she needs and leaves.¡±

    ¡°Colonel,¡± Tyza said, ¡°if you can do anything about it, don¡¯t go there, and make sure no one else ends up there.¡±

    ¡°Even if you make it,¡± Sator crossed his arms, ¡°the fox will eat you alive. No matter your rank, your ability. We only caught a glimpse of what it can do. It¡¯s nothing to mess with.¡±

    Uthman lowered his eyes regrettably. ¡°Due to the politics of the situation, I have little choice in the matter. I will heed your words, but I cannot avoid going.¡± He sighed. ¡°If nothing else, I owe it to Illus for leaving my daughter with him.¡±

    Sator and Tyza went silent, unsure how to respond other than by nodding.

    ¡°Thank you both for your time. I shouldn¡¯t take any more of it. I wish you a speedy recovery. If we recover his remains, you will be the first to know.¡±

    Tyza and Sator both rose and bid farewell to the Colonel. Wealth in their packs and a void in their lives, they took a train southeast toward the coast. To their home.

 Grief, known to none other than her.

    Illus thrashed in the water, reaching every which way for something to hold. His sister¡¯s screams disappeared beneath the river¡¯s roar. With all sense of direction gone, dizziness swelled through him.

    Amidst his panicked attempt to swim, something underwater curled around Illus¡¯s leg. Something tugged the rope around his waist and slowly the water ceased pushing him away.

    He was too exhausted to resist the pull, too weary to fight the current, and too shocked to look away from the wave of blue mist swirling on the opposite side of the river.

    A blue rose broke through the water before Illus¡¯s eyes. It curled around his shoulders and under his arms, pulling him ashore. More vines collected him, dragging him further up the hill, to the edge of the labyrinth of roses. The last thing Illus heard was the woman¡¯s voice. His arms fell slack, legs released from hold, and mind disappeared into darkness.

    <hr>

    Blaring horns echoed in the distance, the continental trains departing early this gray morning.

    A boy of eight years with short white hair and pale gray eyes darted through the smoggy alleys of a brick industrial complex. The thick air slogged through his lungs, but a wide smile spanned his face. A younger girl with long pure white hair and dark eyes trailed behind him. She held a jagged lead pipe, dragging it along the sooty cobblestones as she ran.

    ¡°I¡¯ll smack your face off!¡± The young girl chased her brother, who taunted the slow seven-year old with a mischievous grin and waving hands.

    As his eyes turned away from where he was running, he failed to notice an older man fresh out of his assembly job. Young Illus slammed right into the man¡¯s stained tawny suit coat and stumbled back. The man¡¯s angry gaze scared Illus to run around the man, but a hand grabbed Illus and the man leaned down, his rotted teeth and sweaty face grimacing. He reeked of soot, coal smoke, and foul body odor.

    ¡°Who d¡¯ya think yer runnin¡¯ into kid?! Ah?!¡±

    The man¡¯s saliva spatted Illus¡¯s face as he tried pushing off.

    Then a loud clank rang through the alley. The man dropped Illus in light of Tyza whacking his shin with the lead pipe.

    ¡°You li¡¯l gremlin!¡±

    The man grabbed Tyza by the scruff of her coat and then whacked Illus against the alley wall. He dragged them both toward the street. They thrashed to break free, but that only led to the man slamming them together, heads bonking off one another every time they resisted.

    After a dizzy drag through the streets, he threw Illus and Tyza onto the mucky floor of the local police station.

    ¡°These hellions have just assaulted me with a lead pipe! I want ¡®em thrown away!¡± The man raised his pant leg to show an apathetic officer the nasty bruise Tyza gave him.

    ¡°He hit himself!¡± Illus yelled to the officer. ¡°He just hates us because we¡¯re living next to him! He wants us gone but we¡¯ve done nothing, honest!¡±

    ¡°You lyin¡¯ bugger!¡± The man whacked the back of Illus¡¯s head and Illus played it up, falling to the floor and crying.

    Tyza faked a limp to Illus and broke down next to him. ¡°Please! Help us, policeman!¡±

    ¡°Oy,¡± the malnourished policeman tried getting their attention, ¡°oy, oy!¡± He blew his whistle, piercing everyone¡¯s ears and stopping the man from grabbing the kids again.

    Two more policemen rushed over and threw the man out, then carried Illus and Tyza into a cell.

    ¡°What are you doing?! He attacked us!¡± Illus¡¯s facade fell away at the shock of the metal bars locking them in.

    Tyza broke down crying for real this time.

    ¡°You kids have a mum and dad we can bring to get you?¡±

    Illus lied with ease. ¡°My dad hopped a train and never came back. Her dad took our mum on a different train and never came back.¡±

    The policeman raised his bushy eyebrows at them and sighed. ¡°Ronny said he saw two snowcaps last week, said their mum and pa jumped on a ship and never came back after he helped them away from a woman screaming about them. Wyatt said another two o¡¯ yous told him a load of bollocks about a bear eating their parents after he saved them from an angry beggar. And now you think I¡¯m dumb enough to believe you?¡±

    ¡°We have a lot of parents, honest!¡± Illus couldn¡¯t help his anxious smirk, caught in his lie.

    ¡°Right, and Papa Christmas is my grampy, you just never seen him.¡± The policeman chuckled. ¡°If you¡¯re saying ¡®honest¡¯ like that, you¡¯d best be saying something believable, kid.¡±

    Tyza hugged her brother and cried, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna go to jail, Illus!¡±

    The policeman wiped his bushy mustache, not sure what he wanted to do. ¡°You kids must live in an orphanage then, huh?¡±

    Neither of the kids responded.

    ¡°A workhouse?¡±

    Illus nodded, fear slowly overshadowing the awkwardness of getting caught. His mind thought about going to jail, about being separated from Tyza in a juvenile facility.

    ¡°When was the last time you ate, kid?¡±

    Illus meekly replied, ¡°two days ago.¡±

    ¡°You have a safe place to sleep there?¡±

    Illus shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be a minute.¡± The policeman walked away.

    The cold concrete, iron, and sobs of his sister chilled Illus to his core. He had no clue what the future looked like, but he didn¡¯t want it to be in a cell.

    The policeman produced two forms with lines at the bottom. He crouched down and looked Illus and Tyza close in the eyes. ¡°Do you kids want a safe bed and three meals a day?¡±

    Illus fervently nodded, and so did Tyza.

    ¡°Do you think you can put up with a little hard work to get that?¡±

    They both nodded again.

    The policeman passed the papers through the bars to Illus and Tyza. ¡°These papers are from the military. If you sign those, you¡¯ll have everything you need to live, but life isn¡¯t going to be easy. Probably better than what you have now, though.¡±

    Illus took the papers, the squiggles and lines meaning nothing to him. ¡°How do we sign it?¡±

    The officer handed him a quill wet with ink. ¡°Draw your mark on that there line. I¡¯ll send these to my higher ups, and they¡¯ll be here to pick you up in a few days. We¡¯ll take care of you until then.¡±

    Illus took the quill and drew a squiggle through the line, holding the paper upside down. Tyza drew a stick-figure dog on the underside of the line.

    The policeman took the papers back and rubbed his forehead, hoping he was doing the right thing. ¡°Life will get better for you kids, but when you get where you¡¯re going, there can¡¯t be no stealing, no lying, none of that stuff that gets you in trouble. They¡¯ll kick you out quicker than that man brought you to me. And they won¡¯t give you another chance.¡±

    Both the kids nodded.

    ¡°Oy, kids, you hafta say ¡®yes sir¡¯ where you¡¯re going. Can you do that much?¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Illus muttered.

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Tyza whimpered.

    They waited in the jail for two days. The policemen fed them breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even though the meals were small, it was the most food Illus and Tyza had seen in a long time. At the dawn of the third day, they were collected by a young officer with warm brown eyes and shaved blonde hair. His size and perfect posture were imposing, but his face was kind and reassuring. Captain Uthman. He was a clean cut man in his early 30s who used his family wealth to develop a youth military corps for children who needed it.

    Illus stood there, staring blankly at him.

    ¡°Hello.¡± Captain Uthman said to Illus.

    Illus didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Tyza said from his side, except she was older now.

    He turned back to Captain Uthman, and he was gone. The streets were a forest shrouded in haze. Thunder clapped and rain poured around him. Tyza was next to him, screaming in his ear.

    ¡°Hello?! Hello?!¡±

    <hr>

    Illus opened his eyes ready to shoot up, but he couldn¡¯t move his core. His entire body ached, dull jolts of pain every time he tried to move. He was mostly dry, beneath a granite roof, his hands tied together on top of him. His feet were also tied, laying on a blanket on the ground next to a bench.

    He glanced toward the door of the shack. It was secure.

    Pop.

    Water dripped into a pool of water in the brazier at the center of the room. His eyes followed the dripping upward to a long tail of soaked blue hair, then a fox mask gazing down at him from the chimney cap.

    ¡°Hello.¡± She said in a soft attempt for his attention.

    Illus pulled his arms and legs in shock, trying to adjust but only hurting himself more by struggling. His breathing quickened, the reality setting in that he was still in the ruins, caught by the rainy season.

    It was only for one moment, one pull of the rope that he struggled before he caught his breath and swallowed. ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°The more you struggle against the rope, the tighter it will get, you know.¡±

    Illus nodded and groaned.

    She smirked at him and slowly fell to the tile floor, landing like a leaf. She retrieved his canteen and tossed it onto his stomach. ¡°If you pull your feet up, you can reach your mouth.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    He wondered why she wasn¡¯t helping him, then realized she probably helped him get to where he was. ¡°Thank you for saving me from the river.¡±

    ¡°How do you know I saved you?¡±

    ¡°Well, I can hardly imagine it was the fox that fished me out. Or¡­ do you not control the roses?¡±

    She tossed a dried fish onto his stomach. ¡°No, but we get along quite well. They see a courageous young man falling to the fox¡¯s whims and lend him a vine. I hear them save him, and I lug him up here.¡±

    Courageous. Illus¡¯s face fell, a weak laugh escaping at the thought. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to thank them too, then.¡±

    His mind spun over the past day¡¯s events as he forced himself to sit up, wrenching against his tired muscles¡¯ pleas to stay still. The canteen was empty before he noticed, then the fish a pile of ones in the brazier. All the while his mind lingered on Tyza, Sator, and Anilee. Anilee who he terrified into running from him. Guilt panged for being glad she wasn¡¯t with him, the selfish thought. Not because she would have been stranded too, but because he would have been responsible to care for her, even in his current state.

    Then he thought about Tyza and Sator. He wondered if Tyza thought he was dead. It would be foolish to assume otherwise. Tyza and Sator would have to lead Anilee back to civilization, but they would be grieving him right when they had gotten everything they ever wanted. Right when they had a stroke of luck. But in the same way, he realized they wouldn¡¯t need him anymore. It struck him with a bittersweet feeling that they would now be well, but he may never get to see them prosper.

    His sister had been everything he ever cared for, and Sator relieved him of that duty. Then there was Anilee, his everything over the past five years in tandem with his position in the military. Now, nothing.

    Illus wouldn¡¯t admit it to himself, but it was freeing. In a way, he was glad to be free of Anilee, glad to have pushed her away, glad that he might be able to get out of the ruins if he survived until the next dry season.

    ¡°You seem to be deep in thought,¡± the masked woman pried.

    Illus blinked, moving his lingering eyes from the fish bones to her mask. ¡°Is there a way out of here once the rain clears?¡±

    She frowned. ¡°I have been honest. These ruins are sealed from when the river floods to when it dries.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°The end of the summer, about two weeks where the threshold is open.¡±

    He paused, lowering his head at the thought of needing to survive for a year here. He raised his head, discouraged but optimistic. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to intrude more than I already have.¡±

    ¡°That is entirely up to you.¡±

    ¡°Then, Enae, is it? I hope-¡±

    She casually cut him off. ¡°No.¡±

    Illus froze, staring at her. ¡°You¡¯re not the woman from the mosaic?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± her manner remained casual, maybe a bit passive aggressive. Her mask made it hard to tell.

    ¡°Um, I hope¡­ I didn¡¯t offend you.¡± Illus was a bit confused at the situation, starting to realize why he was tied up so securely.

    ¡°Everyone does it. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Well, um,¡± Illus was losing his train of thought, ¡°if I¡¯m going to be living in these ruins¡­ you¡¯re not going to kill me, right?¡±

    ¡°That is entirely up to you.¡± She bit into a fish of her own.

    Illus nodded, a little afraid. ¡°Is the fox going to kill me?¡±

    ¡°Quite possibly.¡±

    ¡°Will the fox be open to an agreement¡­ of sorts? It¡¯s intelligent, I know that much.¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°I would advise against any agreements with the fox.¡±

    Illus sighed. ¡°Alright. Uh, my name is Illus, if you need to get my attention for any reason.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± She continued eating her fish, the mask staring directly at him.

    Illus waited for a moment as she finished chewing, but she didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°May I know your name, or am I overstepping some boundaries? Apologies, I¡¯m uneducated on the matters of¡­ magical beings like yourself and the fox.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re overstepping no boundaries by asking questions.¡±

    Illus got a little irritated at the lack of answers he was getting. ¡°I apologize for calling you the incorrect name. I mean no offense, honest, but¡­¡± Illus sighed and stopped talking, deciding to simply sit in silence. He noticed as he was hunched, the ropes got more slack, loosening around his wrists and ankles.

    ¡°May I undo my binds?¡± He politely asked the woman.

    She snorted, covering her mouth to not spit out food.

    ¡°I¡¯m your prisoner.¡± Illus declared, a bit indignantly.

    ¡°Prisoner? I told you how to undo them.¡±

    He loosened the rope and slipped wrists and ankles free, stretching his arms out, the stiffness of sleep beginning to wear off. He noticed the way she was sitting, hunched over, tired, similar to him but a bit on edge. She tensed every time he moved, especially when he stretched his arms. Seated next to the door, soaked from the rain with her feet planted firmly. She was ready to scramble out at the drop of a hat.

    Illus scanned the room, noting the old cookware, jar, the bench, Sator¡¯s beaver skin bag, his canteen, Anilee¡¯s bag of clothes, Illus¡¯s gear, the rifle, tent, everything. All sopping wet except for Anilee¡¯s bag. As he moved around, he noticed a strange popping noise emanating from woman, like droplets of water in quick succession, masked by the rain outside.

    ¡°Thank you, masked woman, for collecting everything, for saving me. Were you watching me from up in the roof that whole time?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, and¡­ no.¡±

    Illus glanced down to the pool of water in the center brazier, and the cover which was not leaking water into the brazier now.

    She quickly spoke, seeming to be aware of where his train of thought was. ¡°It was not very long I waited.¡±

    ¡°No, you collected everything. Everything-¡± he paused, struggling to not laugh at the dry backpack. ¡°You- you took Anilee¡¯s bag before it even started to rain.¡±

    The woman became more on edge. ¡°I-¡±

    Illus burst out laughing, clutching his aching chest. ¡°Thank you, she may have stopped amidst the storm to bring it back, and I don¡¯t know if I could have held my composure with her any longer.¡±

    She eased, though a bit confused at his reaction. ¡°I was going to return it. I figured being forced to live in the same clothes for a few days would do her well.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll probably fare better with you. She has never worn any of those to my knowledge and I presume it has been quite a while since you last revitalized your wardrobe.¡±

    She held a finger up to her mouth in thought. ¡°Not to be presumptuous, but does everyone of your era wear such impractical clothing? Not a one of those has any use outside of ornamental wear. Why are the clothes so heavy and with so few pockets?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Anilee is from an incredibly wealthy family. They have butlers for carrying things.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll say so. I thought you were her butler until your little spat in front of my sister.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s-¡± he realized the woman in the mural- presumably Enae- was her sister, but then that she had been listening. ¡°That was a¡­ she was a lot of effort. Well, I ought to-¡±

    Illus pushed up off the ground roughly and stumbled back at the flash of blue before him. She was already in the chimney cap.

    ¡°I am very sorry,¡± Illus put his hands by his shoulders, eyes wide, ¡°I have no intention of harming you. I need to wash off a bit and treat my wounds. It¡¯s highly unnecessary for you to be up there getting soaked for no reason, so what say I wash off out there, and you can come back in and dry off? Maybe put on a¡­ less soaked¡­ posh new wardrobe item?¡±

    She tilted her head at him and frowned. ¡°Thank you, I appreciate your words and hope them true. As I exit, the fox will likely be close to enter. I will leave you here with a warning. Never attack the fox and pay close attention to your emotions if you wish to live in harmony with it, much less think you can strike a bargain.¡±

    She crawled up through the hole and disappeared into the rain.

    The door squeaked open. ¡°She gossips my secrets and then away lets? Away she hides, to where she resides. This prison of haze is a circular maze.¡± The fox poked its head in the front door with a gnarly smile.

    Illus grabbed the rifle and pointed it straight at the fox.

    The fox¡¯s face frowned in an accentuated way that foxes should not be able to move. ¡°Can I not be a friend? Shall we make this your end? Your sister she ought, and hit me on the spot. Then returned I from haze, to lead her in the maze. What justice have you, to pierce me through?¡±

    The fox¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t match its frown. Hungry, enthused, as if begging Illus to take the shot for some nefarious reason.

    Illus wanted to kill the fox more than anything. It separated him from his sister and Sator, and it did something to Anilee. It scared her into trying to kill them- succeeding had the vines not intervened. Illus gritted his teeth. This wily little fox was the cause for everything.

    But to what end? Was that why the woman said not to attack the fox? And to watch his emotions?

    Illus breathed out, finger on the trigger of the rifle, and shot.

    Click.

    Illus pulled the trigger, but it wouldn¡¯t fire. He sighed. Why would it, having been freshly fished out of a river?

    The fox smiled, not understanding the mechanisms of the rifle. ¡°Launch fire ahead, surely I¡¯ll be dead.¡±

    Illus lowered the rifle in frustration. ¡°Be sure if I find a way, it will be done.

    The fox¡¯s smile became a growl, a grimace, pure hatred for Illus. ¡°No shot? No fire? You¡¯re hot. Such ire. Oh, a neighbor I¡¯ll be, taking every shot at thee. Shots by the beavers, shots with all fevers, shots in a trap, shots just to scrap. I¡¯ll find you out with the moon, so enjoy your stay with Ciun.¡±

    ¡°If she speaks true, all I have to do is nothing?¡± Illus found himself enthused at the fox¡¯s manner of speech. ¡°Then I will do nothing.¡±

    The fox¡¯s eyes shot wide open, bared teeth, borderline hissing. ¡°This fool! My rule! Your words have no tune, you¡¯re the same as Ciun.¡±

    ¡°Ciun,¡± Illus mocked, getting a little fed up with the antics, ¡°who in the blazes is-¡±

    Illus paused, his tone shifting in realization.

    ¡°Oh! The masked woman, she¡¯s Ciun, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    The fox paused, its face setting to a blank stare before a single ¡°Hah!¡± burst free. Then another. It erupted into a geyser of laughter before it whirled up onto all fours and pointed at Illus. ¡°Utter fool! This jewel! Not luck¡¯s stroke! He¡¯s a bloke!¡± The fox continued to cackle at Illus before it finally raised its head without a chuckle more. This new fox seemed a completely different animal. Even its tone was more cordial. ¡°If you make me laugh, I¡¯m kind as a calf. I await your next quip, lest my mask flip.¡±

    The fox darted off, leaving Illus in a vat of confusion. He had a lot to consider but at least he didn¡¯t have to worry about Ciun coming back. If what the fox said was true, then this shack was probably more of a shed, and she lived elsewhere.

    Illus laid back, taking in the granite ceiling of the shack, the pillars, the treebranch walls, and the shoddy door. It was all holding up in the storm, bound tightly by natural twine as if somebody had nothing to do for a really long time besides build a shed out of heavy twine and sticks.

    He tried to stand up, but was in incredible pain the whole time. His legs burned like they were ripped and torn from the water sweeping him away. He wasn¡¯t aware of how his new neighbors would take to him, but the searing pain took over his train of thought.

    Illus grabbed the bag of dresses, shoved his face onto it, and screamed in agony until he was satisfied, weeping some private tears into the fabric of the bag so they might not ever drop from his face. Then he forced himself up with the rifle as a walking stick, gathered his belongings, and tended to his wounds with the remains of his first aid.

    He used that time to think, to plan his survival. Ciun seemed to have ways of getting fish and he still had some rations in his pack for the next week. With most of his first aid supply exhausted, he would have to be careful. The only current dangers to him were the elements and the fox, but the fox seemed to be manageable to a certain degree. From what he could tell, Ciun held power over the fox, but not completely. Yet she was afraid of Illus, so her abilities were limited, unless that was what she wanted Illus to believe.

    Illus figured his best bet for surviving until the river dried would be to have amicable relations with Ciun and to keep the fox as far away as possible. If Ciun could show him the ways she fed herself and survived, then he would have a shot at seeing his sister and Sator again.

    Or would they be coming back with a larger military party? Anilee would surely report the findings back to her father, it only made sense to him. Either way, survival was the priority until the river dried, and the fox would be the one thing standing in his way of that.

    ¡°Pay close attention to my emotions and don¡¯t attack the fox,¡± Illus said to himself. ¡°She lives elsewhere, and this is¡­ a prison? Her prison? The fox¡¯s prison?¡±

    That thought perturbed Illus. For what reason were the fox and Ciun imprisoned here, and how were they alive after so long? He knew nothing of what kind of beings they were, the extent of their abilities, or who they were. These ruins had claimed every last visitor, else they surely would have been recorded. If he learned those secrets, he would learn his key to survive.

    Key.

    ¡°The Key to Ciun,¡± Illus mumbled and retrieved the poem they found on the stone. His key to survival, if it wasn¡¯t a trap in itself. He studied the poem awhile, spending the day in quiet recovery, the rain pattering away on the ruins.

 To he who unmasks shall eternity claim

    The rain lightened into a soft drizzle the next morning, though the sky showed no signs of letting up. Somewhere between studying the poem, drying out his belongings, and keeping an eye out for the fox, sleep found Illus. The soft rain was all he heard for a long time, left in complete silence otherwise. Loneliness crept in like an old friend he had forgotten about.

    So much of Illus¡¯s time had been spent in the city with friends, working in the office, or researching with Anilee. Now, he had a whole lot of nothing going on besides retrieving food and water. With the spool of thread he found in a corner of the shed, he carved himself a fishing hook and made a rudimentary fishing pole.

    Catching fish would make a great source of food, but he thought bribing the fox could be a possibility too.

    He found himself taking inventory again and again, but most often sifting through Anilee¡¯s spare clothes. Had he been too mean? Did she deserve such harshness from him? He was the one who made this entire expedition happen, but if he had waited then they could be back at her mansion planning the entire trip out. What would the Colonel say when the three returned without him?

    Illus smiled ruefully at a lacy gray dress with puffy shoulders and a big skirt. He imagined seeing her in it, asking him if it suited her as she always did. Then getting frustrated that he always said it did. He wondered where his fondness for her came from when all she saw of the world was never enough.

    He emptied the dresses out and sifted through the remaining makeup, brushes, pens, pencils, empty notebooks, full notebooks.

    Some of her old sketchbooks with notes on the ruins were in there, the ones she never let him see.

    Nothing could stop him now, so he scoured the notebooks. What would he find, he wondered? Her inner thoughts, her feelings, random sketches, notes, drawings of people, drawings of him? Had she ever drawn him? Did she think of him fondly?

    His mind raced, a little afraid to open the notebooks and find the truth, but curiosity got the better of him. The first page was a full page sketch of her library. This one he had caught a glimpse of many times before, peeking over her shoulder when she was bored and sketching idly. Beyond that were sketches of dresses, some old notes about Imahken and Carmonia, then a carefully created self portrait. It was as close to perfect as he had seen a drawing of her. Perfectly round eyes, perfectly full lips, perfectly angular cheeks, perfectly straight black hair, perfectly solemn expression, perfect dimples. It had every detail of her face to utter perfection, but it looked nothing like her.

    She seemed to have thought the same thing, because the next one was another self portrait, almost samely perfect except with color. Again, she captured every detail perfectly, but there was something off.

    He flipped the next page and yet another portrait, though incomplete, this one the exact same as the other two, but her hair was a little out of place and there was an aggressive X through the page.

    Then another page of a self portrait crossed out, this time seemingly after she had drawn on her freckles more heavily than before- but it looked more accurate. He flipped back to the prior page and noticed the hairline again, realizing that it was her actual hairline, a bit lower than average, a slightly shorter forehead.

    Every page that resembled more of how she actually looked was crossed out and unfinished. Between more notes and random sketches of empty cityscapes were these crossed out portraits of herself.

    A droplet splashed in the brazier. Illus glanced up to see Ciun watching from the roof.

    He startled and shut the notebook, ¡°Good grief!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let me stop you.¡± The mask stared from above, Ciun¡¯s long blue hair was tied back, falling over her neck and dripping water.

    ¡°You know,¡± Illus slowly gestured to the bench behind his spot on the floor. ¡°Obviously this is your own shed, but you¡¯re welcome to not be sopping wet outside if you¡¯re visiting. I hate to cause you any discomfort.¡± Before she could respond, he raised a finger to halt her, setting Anilee¡¯s bag full of clothes and cosmetic items on the bench, then moving to the opposite side of the room. ¡°That¡¯s all yours now. I¡¯ve sorted through everything. Consider it thanks for allowing me to stay here.¡±

    She slowly, cautiously lowered herself into the room toward the bench, so Illus turned toward the wall. The moment he turned, he heard a quick swish of cloth and then her bare feet on the granite above.

    Illus glanced over his shoulder before fully turning around, checking to be sure she was back in her spot up top. ¡°I do have one question, if I may?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Did you hear all of our conversations? Were you listening?¡±

    She stared blankly ahead.

    Illus took that as a yes, but didn¡¯t know how to proceed. ¡°Okay, um, thank you for stopping in, I suppose.¡±

    She didn¡¯t move from her spot.

    Illus looked back up at her with an awkward smile and a puzzled expression. ¡°Not to be rude, but I can¡¯t see most of your face, so trying to gauge how I should be toward you is a bit difficult, and I mean no disrespect at all. A little help would be much appreciated. Are you a divine being? A magical entity? An ancient magician?¡±

    Finally she spoke. ¡°Are those your lady¡¯s sketches?¡±

    Illus paused. ¡°Um¡­ hard to say she¡¯s my lady anymore after everything, but they¡¯re certainly her sketches and notes.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s good with a pencil, but they¡¯re all so lifeless.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°She never let me see them before now.¡± He bit his tongue for a moment and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Would you like to look through her notebooks?¡±

    She nodded, so Illus retrieved the notebooks and set them on the floor in front of him.

    ¡°I think this one is the most recent one.¡± He held it up and she nodded.

    This notebook was particularly full of notes, diagrams, and roughly drawn maps of the surroundings with citations of every source they used to narrow down the search area. There were a few scattered sketches of herself throughout, this time at different angles and in different poses, but they were all like the first ones. Completely perfect, not resembling Anilee as she truly appeared.

    ¡°Quite the idealist,¡± Ciun muttered to herself.

    ¡°Hm?¡± Illus glanced up at Ciun, who was leaning down as far as she could. Her hair was dripping onto his shoulder.

    She abruptly backed up. ¡°They look nothing like her.¡±

    Illus shrugged. ¡°She stopped showing me them because I said something similar.¡±

    Ciun audibly scoffed. ¡°The picture is clear to me now.¡±

    Illus frowned, a little put off by the odd response. ¡°What picture?¡±

    ¡°You.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°You said it yourself, butler.¡±

    A sigh escaped Illus¡¯s mouth, a well of frustration growing in him. ¡°Yes, thank you for reminding me. I haven¡¯t thought about that enough these past days.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Ciun smugly grinned. ¡°You¡¯re not going to apologize to me for your tone? Not going to worship the ground I stand on until I stop insulting you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in the ceiling.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    He groaned. ¡°I hardly think my relationships are any of your business.¡±

    ¡°A lady can only go so many centuries without a little drama. Humor me.¡±

    ¡°Centuries? You¡¯ve been alone with the fox that long?¡± Illus¡¯s sour mood became something more like pity.

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Not keen on drama when it involves yourself?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough drama in my life.¡±

    ¡°Perfect, then you don¡¯t need mine.¡±

    She flicked her hair over the other shoulder. ¡°Humor me?¡±

    ¡°I prefer equal exchange of this ¡®drama,¡¯ so to speak.¡± He flipped through the notebook casually. ¡°You haven¡¯t even told me your name.¡±

    ¡°Yet you know it.¡±

    ¡°Do I?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m certain somebody told you.¡±

    ¡°Who? There¡¯s nobody around except¡­¡± Illus pretended to come to a conclusion. ¡°The fox knows, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be coy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask him once you go home.¡±

    Her mouth thinned into a smirk. ¡°You¡¯re not a good liar.¡±

    He raised his eyebrows at her. ¡°I am quite the accomplished liar, but I¡¯ve a hunch that you¡¯ve been listening to all my conversations, so how could I lie? And why do you refuse to tell me?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°For somebody who keeps such a frightened distance, your nose is deep in my business.¡±

    Her smirk faded.

    ¡°Is it because of this?¡± Illus held the notebook up, showing her the poem. ¡°Is this poem correct? Was Ani right? That your mask grants power to whoever takes it?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, but her head lowered and her body prepared to leap out.

    Illus laid on the floor looking up at her and threw the notebook on the bench. ¡°Do I look heartless and stupid? What should I say? ¡®Golly gee, you must be Ciun from the dead bloke¡¯s poem! How¡¯s about I toss away my life and try to take your mask? Go missing like all the others have, eh?¡¯¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Do I really seem the type?¡±

    Again, no response.

    ¡°You overheard my private conversations. You know your ruins are not my aspiration.¡±

    She tilted her head. ¡°And yet you went through all that hardship to get here. Just for her to leave you.¡±

    Illus rolled his eyes and chuckled. ¡°Wooing a woman is tricky business, business that I now have a year¡¯s break from. It¡¯s oddly freeing despite the dismal situation. Perhaps I¡¯ll reconsider my approach for future prospects as I survive. I take it you have experience spanning decades? Centuries? Millennia? Surely you have some advice or tricks for a naive, heartbroken young lad such as myself.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Then farewell. I¡¯m tired of wallowing in another¡¯s misery. If you wish me gone, I will make a shelter elsewhere. I¡¯ll take my chances with the fox if I must. At least he doesn¡¯t pretend to be amicable, and he can enjoy a good laugh.¡±

    She seemed quite insulted at that last remark. ¡°So you wish to be at odds?¡±

    Illus locked his eyes on her mask for a moment, about to say something, then got another idea. ¡°That is entirely up to you.¡± He paused. ¡°Have my gift and go or cast me out. Or deny it. There¡¯s plenty of fine cloth for starting flames in there.¡±

    Ciun watched from the roof as he laid his head back on his hands and listened to the rain falling. The mask pensively stared forward, her mouth curling down at one side.

    Her voice fell softer. ¡°Thank you for the gifts, and I- I forgot the pain lost love can be.¡± She lowered her head a little. ¡°I haven¡¯t had company without malign intent in a very long time.¡±

    Illus sighed. ¡°Explorers can be quite the handful as I¡¯ve been reading.¡± She began to back out of the hole in the roof. ¡°Ah- oh, would you be willing to point me toward a decent fishing spot?¡±

    She peeked in through the ceiling again. ¡°The north river. The water¡¯s gentler closer to the gully where the beavers dam.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. See you around.¡± He waved to Ciun and she slipped out of sight.

    Not long later, Illus picked up his makeshift fishing supplies and slowly set out for the north river she spoke of. The fishing stick doubled as a passable walking stick. Having entered from the south river, he had yet to see much of the north side. The light drizzle oddly refreshed him as the sun poked through distant clouds, radiating some much needed warmth on Illus¡¯s face. He stretched away some of his aches and pains, happy that he could simply walk.

    His major concerns were food, water, and shelter. He had shelter. He had a steady supply of fresh water in the river. His only real challenges would be food and the strange locals. He hoped there were no more of them.

    Illus passed the tiled square near the bridge, glancing up the mountain he hoped to climb once he was in better condition. Past the square was a series of crumbled ruins, the pillars sunken and tilted, but still standing. Their roofs were not so lucky, fallen and buried beneath the soil.

    Beyond these crumbled ruins was an overgrown amphitheater. Aquatic plants grew beneath the water on the submerged granite floor. Frogs and other critters chirped on lily pads and drifting logs. Little fish darted around in the shaded pond of rainwater.

    The fox sat at the edge of the pond pawing for fish as little wisps of blue haze drifted from its eyes, making the animals do all sorts of unusual leaps and sounds. It cackled lightly at them, but seemed to take no notice of Illus, who stealthily crept around the outside to avoid alerting the fox.

    Beyond the amphitheater, on the far north hill of the ruins grew a chaotic mess of trees bearing bright yellow and green pears. Younger trees were tied to stakes, many of which had snapped from the recent storm. Rotting green pears littered the ground. Illus figured the yellow ones would be better to eat, picking one and biting into the tart, soft flesh. Lucky enough, he was right.

    Then a bumblebee buzzed before him, gently hovering as if investigating the new visitor.

    ¡°Good day, Mr. Bee. At least you¡¯re friendly.¡± Illus cheerfully whispered to it, delighting in the striped little fuzzball.

    He heard a woman¡¯s snicker in the not-so-far distance after he said that.

    With eyes over his shoulder, he cordially nodded to the bee.

    Beyond the pear trees, the hill flattened into a field of short, leafy green stalks that he recognized as belonging to some kind of root vegetable. The cutoff from pear to these plants was quite sharp, cultivated. Old columns stuck out of the ground here too, the soil seeming to cover the ruins beneath.

    Illus reached down to a small one and just as he was about to pull it up, a small wooden stake pierced the ground next to his hand.

    He staggered back. Tracing the direction it came from with his eyes, he found Ciun watching from a distant column.

    He called out to her. ¡°What are these?¡±

    She called back. ¡°Not yours.¡±

    Illus groaned and shook his head, walking northward. He never heard her, but every so often he glanced back to spy her watching from behind a bush or atop a column.

    The hill gradually descended, granite ridges eroded by time emerging from spots of shallow soil. The river below was deep, but softly flowing and clear as could be. The drizzles rippled atop the current, some salmon swimming upstream. Illus took a seat on a ridge of granite and cast his line out into the water, bits of dried fish on the hook. He set the rod under his leg, then began drying the rifle and its few remaining cartridges, oiling the mechanisms with some of his lantern¡¯s whale oil.

    After a short while of no bites, light footsteps approached from behind Illus.

    The fox¡¯s voice spoke up. ¡°He plays with the stick that knocked me like a brick. What secrets doth it hold? Is it wary of mold?¡± It pleasantly sat beside Illus, observing him clean the rifle.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡± Illus smirked at the fox. ¡°I will tell you on one basis, and consider it the standard going forward.¡±

    ¡°You propose a deal? I¡¯ll hear your spiel.¡±

    ¡°So long as the sun is readily visible, you may visit all you like, but no other time. Respect my rest, my sleep, and we may get along. How about it?¡±

    ¡°So long as it is day, my visits I may pay?¡±

    Illus chuckled. ¡°Every day is a day. No. Only when and where the sun is visible to us both.¡±

    The fox grinned. ¡°Very well. Now tell.¡±

    ¡°Say it, fox. Bind yourself to your word.¡±

    The fox grinned wider, more grim than before. ¡°So long as we readily spy the sun, our tales may be interspun.¡±

    Illus nodded, carefully considering the phrasing. ¡°Very well. This here,¡± pointing to the sights, ¡°is where the sun¡¯s heat is gathered into the fire launcher.¡± While the fox¡¯s eyes were locked on the sights, he scooted the cartridges into his pocket. ¡°After enough warmth is gathered, I press it against my shoulder and pull this trigger to blast fire at impossible speeds.¡±

    The fox narrowed its eyes at Illus. ¡°Your sister shot me at night, a time where there is no light.¡±

    ¡°It can hold the heat for quite a long time. You only need to leave it out once every week or so depending on how often you use it.¡±

    The fox grinned. ¡°May I use it? Only a bit?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. Besides, you have to¡­¡± Illus was trying to think of a good lie. ¡°What¡¯s the technical word for it? Hmm¡­ ah, it¡¯s no matter. You must be bound to it to use it.¡±

    The fox¡¯s smile grew and he peered over his shoulder. ¡°You ought to be careful what you reveal, she is a wicked one deserving of her seal.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Ciun?¡±

    ¡°Oh she¡¯s cruel, quite a ghoul, with a spool, of hate¡¯s fuel.¡±

    ¡°Hah, she seems awfully miserable. So skittish. So worried about that mask.¡±

    The fox raised its head, trying to read Illus as he casually went about his cleaning. ¡°Her secrets I shan¡¯t share, nor hers mine to be fair. Yet others before have evened the score. Her hints, my glints, all the same, yet too tame. I know a spot to cast a line, where a former seeker left a sign. Ciun¡¯s game, given name. Shall we-¡±

    Ciun¡¯s voice called out from atop a pillar behind them. ¡°I banish thee, fox.¡±

    The fox¡¯s voice cackled away as it dissipated into blue mist, ¡°-go? You will know.¡±

    Illus glanced over his shoulder at her, seeing her atop a column several yards away and sighed. ¡°I happened to be enjoying the fox¡¯s conversation.¡±

    ¡°You have no business prying.¡±

    Illus rolled his eyes. ¡°Is the line ¡®The keeper takes note of every sound,¡¯ literal? Ani and I were unsure, but now I¡¯m starting to think there¡¯s no safe place but my own head, if even that cannot be listened into. No wonder the fox has gone insane.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°And the last couplet? ¡®Ciun of the old world you will meet soon,¡¯ or something or other along that line. I suppose the final missing line is ¡®She will pester you ¡®til you¡¯re a loon.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Is my company so disagreeable?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve told me nothing about anything, pried my business the entire way, and kept me from the only other company here.¡± Illus smirked and pointed to where the fox had been. ¡°He invited me to a personal fishing spot. That¡¯s quite the accolade of friendship.¡±

    She smiled sarcastically. ¡°You believe the fox trusts you?¡±

    Illus chuckled. ¡°No. Nor I, it. Do I look a fool?¡±

    ¡°You have the boldness of one to be insulting me so.¡±

    ¡°Am I not allowed to test your bounds as you have mine?¡± He asked, looking into the river. ¡°You¡¯re more afraid of me than I am of you, Ciun. And I have no interest in whatever your game with the mask is, yet you persist. It¡¯s as if you¡¯re trying to bait me into lunging so you can cut my throat as the fox aims to. Not attacking the fox means it cannot harm me, and I presume you¡¯re bound by the same rule. Thus I may live peacefully in peace. Am I wrong?¡±

    She didn¡¯t reply.

    Illus didn¡¯t follow up. He simply minded his own and fished in the gentle drizzle. After finishing with the rifle, he sat awaiting a bite, but the fish had no interest. Nevertheless, he found comfort in watching the river, hearing the water, letting the warm breeze pass through his hair, inhaling the musty scent of wet earth. The cloud of dark blue haze across the river loomed, a reminder of his imprisonment. Occasionally he would glance back to see if Ciun was still there, and she was. She kept watch for the fox, banishing it once more as it tried sneaking up beside Illus. Beside that one time, she was simply a silent warden whose eyes he could not read to see where she was looking.

    Evening began rolling in and Illus knew he would have to bed down for the night, so he rose, eying Ciun, who was staring away from him, lost looking into the distance, her mouth moving slightly.

    He listened carefully, if she was saying something, but all he heard was the gentle popping and bubbling of the river. Its rhythmic sound comforted him, then he realized she was idly mimicking it, making popping noises with her mouth, same as before.

    Illus suppressed a snicker and decided to see what would happen. ¡°Pop.¡±

    Her mask flashed to him, unresponsive, but her pale cheeks flushed ever so slightly.

    Illus shook his head and started walking away. ¡°I never thanked you for giving my sister and Sator that chalice. It meant a lot to them, and to me. So thank you.¡±

    He continued his slow hobble back to the shed, plucking two pears on the way to make up for his unlucky day of fishing.

    Illus spent the next few weeks recovering, walking to the river every day that wasn¡¯t a complete downpour. Ciun trailed behind him almost the entire time, ensuring the fox could never get close enough to entice him. Always atop a pillar, almost always silent except for a quick comment to shut him down. Illus stopped engaging with her at all after several days of failed attempts trying to learn where other food sources were, but receiving no clear answers. His haul was one fish if he was lucky, filling up with pears otherwise.

    Despite all of this, he had very limited interaction with the fox. By their agreement it could only visit him in the daytime, and Ciun was around most of the time then. Illus tooted his own horn a little for making the deal, but worried for if the fox became further unhinged. It would stare from distances as he fished, leaving a fresh fish in front of his shed on days where he struck out. Illus began to wonder if the fox was purposefully enticing him, and what consequences could come from indulging the fox for a day of good fishing.

 Reward all she offers to last the same.

    Illus woke up in the middle of the night, as he frequently did in the ruins. The whirling wind, creaking trees, pounding rain, and brushing leaves were only soothing to a certain extent. Waking up to an odd scraping outside the shed never left him with a good feeling because he worried the fox may break the already loose agreement. Nothing held the fox to it beside Illus, and allowing the fox attention seemed to be very valuable in its eyes. The poem spoke more of Ciun than it did the fox, and it spoke of foxes, not a singular fox, so nothing could be certain.

    The front door lightly creaked open, a clear night with a bright full moon. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of roses and musty earth into his nose. Illus¡¯s legs were getting better after a few weeks of fishing and being careful with his health. His dull gray eyes scanned the perimeter. No fox. No Ciun.

    He didn¡¯t know if they slept. He had yet to see them sleep, but he had heard Ciun yawn several times, so maybe he would have some time in the fleeting night to be alone in the ruins.

    His eyes traced their way around the crumbled roofs and tilted pillars, resting on the mountain again. He thought it would be a good morning to climb it, use the time alone to relax and watch the sunrise before Ciun and the fox stole his privacy.

    Through the square, over the bridge, and up the steps he began. The gully chirped with frogs and crickets. Fireflies sparked in the soil, in the trees, in the grass. The light breeze circling the mountain kept Illus¡¯s hair from his face, a lovely, brisk walk. Moreover, there was such a silence to the air between chirps, gusts of wind, and calls of the local loons. The dull hum of the Earth invited him to the summit as the moon slowly fell.

    Though Illus¡¯s legs were already much better, he used a walking stick to make up for the slight limp that persisted. Soil became granite steps which became a rocky summit. Looking away from the ruins was the eastern sky where white light began its ascent, snuffing the stars, awakening the new birds to tweet and chirp about. The water far below was full and clear, a massive crescent shaped lake that the rivers on either side of the ruins flowed from.

    The summit was empty of Ciun and the fox, a space freely alone for Illus. Near the eastern ledge was a stone, smooth and indented in the middle. It made a perfect seat, which he happily sat in to commemorate his successful climb and ease his tired legs.

    Just before the sun started showing itself, a flap of cloth caught Illus¡¯s left ear. His head twisted quickly, a bit shocked at the subtle sound. A figure surrounded by long azure hair flipping in the wind, dressed in Anilee¡¯s center-parted floral nightgown of a slightly darker color, and the golden and blue accented ivory fox mask. She stared directly at him, the pale pink light of dawn illuminating her in an ethereal glow.

    His heart jumped with a slight burst of fright, almost enough to move him. ¡°By God, you¡¯re everywhere, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    No response as usual, although she seemed frozen in place for a brief moment. Then she yawned and took to freeing a tangle from her hair with Anilee¡¯s brush.

    Illus sighed, glancing down at the smooth stone he was seated upon. He pushed himself up and sat out by the ledge, in front of the seat. He paid her no more mind, a bit frustrated that she would even appear when he desired time alone.

    The sun was just beginning the rise, painting the indigo night sky in a gradient of orange and red hues

    ¡°I was unsure if you were real,¡± Ciun¡¯s gentle voice emanated from atop the seat.

    Illus didn¡¯t turned around. ¡°That¡¯s quite the statement from a millennium-old woman who¡¯s stalking me.¡±

    She paused, a remorseful tone about her voice. ¡°Time has a way of clouding reality. Bygone dreams and days flow with one another in a mind that sees nowhere else. No one else.¡±

    ¡°So you thought I might be the figment of a dream? What made you realize otherwise?¡±

    ¡°In my dreams, visitors are often bright vestiges of all the people I wish to see, showing me what I desire.¡±

    Illus held back a snicker.

    ¡°In reality, those who visit are always after something, even when stranded. Often, they are cruel, even conniving.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to disappoint, but I¡¯m only after my own survival.¡±

    A light chuckle escaped Ciun. ¡°Then you appeared. Neither what I wished nor wanted, and neither cruel nor conniving.¡± Her voice had a similar warmth to when he had first spoken to her, like her entire personality had flipped. A light tone, jovial even.

    He glanced back at her, a slight smile following the curvature of her mask. ¡°What made you think I was a dream at all?¡± He turned back to the sunrise.

    She sighed longingly. ¡°Every so often I¡¯ll dream of a visitor who distracts me from my burden. Far less often is that visitor real.¡±

    ¡°How often do you receive visitors?¡±

    Ciun chuckled again. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. One year is the same as the next in eternal, isolated summer. I know who comes before who, but the rest is fleeting as a dream in your mind as you wake.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Illus said. ¡°That sounds lonely.¡±

    ¡°Alone isn¡¯t the same as lonely. I reckon you were quite content by yourself before I showed this morning.¡±

    ¡°The morning¡¯s peace is still unbroken. Though I hardly expected you in this way.¡±

    ¡°What way?¡±

    ¡°Sociable.¡±

    She paused. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, really. This is-¡±

    ¡°No, Illus, I shouldn¡¯t have made light of your situation. Your mood toward me should have been enough to show you were real.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re old wounds now,¡± he lied with a sigh. ¡°You said it yourself, days and dreams feel the same here. I can hardly disagree. I¡¯m watching the sun rise in long-lost ruins with a talking fox and an ancient woman. It certainly feels akin to a dream.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond. Illus glanced back and her head was facing the stones.

    He smiled kindly at her as the sun crested over the horizon, drawing her mask to face him. ¡°How about a fresh start? My name is Illus. I¡¯ll be staying in your ruins awhile, if you¡¯ll have me, of course.¡±

    She glowed radiant in the morning sun and the corners of her mouth finally crept upward. ¡°I am Ciun, these humble ruins¡¯ keeper. You are welcome to stay as long as you need.¡±

    Relief washed over Illus and he got a little lost in her image for a moment, then casually turned back to the sunrise.

    ¡°I take it you¡¯re still going to keep the fox from me, hm?¡±

    ¡°The fox is no friend to you. All he offers is at a cost you know nothing of yet.¡±

    Illus sat forward. ¡°And what¡¯s the cost? Is it the cost that¡¯s caused every other explorer to go missing.¡±

    Ciun¡¯s tone became stern. ¡°They were lost to their own hubris.¡±

    ¡°A tale as old as time,¡± he glanced back to her. ¡°The mask, I presume?¡±

    She paused, then nodded.

    ¡°Are you allowed to tell me what the mask has to do with anything, or do you simply not wish to tell me?¡±

    Another pause, then an answer she sounded like she was afraid of. ¡°I thought a prior visitor suitable and told him. After a while, it consumed him. It¡¯s easier for you if you know nothing.¡±

    ¡°You can just say you don¡¯t trust me, Ciun,¡± Illus snickered, ¡°I won¡¯t be offended. I wouldn¡¯t trust me either. I suppose I¡¯m only curious if the mask or magic or what-have-you will cause issues for my survival.¡±

    ¡°No, but the fox may try to entice you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re full of it,¡± Illus took on a sarcastic tone. ¡°There¡¯s no world where that fox does anything cruel or unkind like strand me in ruins, turn my girlfriend into a machete murderer, and try to kill my sister and her husband.¡±

    She held back a laugh. ¡°May I ask now, why you toiled so long for these ruins, venturing deeper even after you met the fox?¡±

    Illus pensively stared into the distance, wondering himself. ¡°I suppose even for as needy as she was, and as frightening as the fox was, when it showed us that bridge I¡¯d never seen her smile with such wonder. Watching her dream come true¡­ it became mine vicariously.¡± He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a very roundabout way of saying I was stupid and loveblind.¡±

    ¡°You think the fox showed you that?¡± Ciun crossed her legs and leaned forward with her head on her hand.

    Illus raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could create mirages.¡±

    She sat up straight. ¡°I only created the one. I try to only show what will cause no harm.¡±

    Illus didn¡¯t respond, replaying in his mind every sight he had been shown and if it had been the fox or Ciun.

    ¡°You- even I could see you needed some help with her,¡± she explained quickly, ¡°and it was a safe spot.¡±

    Illus¡¯s brow hardened, thinking about Anilee again. He bashed himself for going so long for nothing, all for it to fall apart because he tried to make her happy. He wondered if he was crazy for ever falling in love with her, for doing everything he did for her.

    He smiled at Ciun, his harsh brow in staunch resistance against his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re fine. You helped. It worked. I¡¯m the fool for keeping at it so long.¡±

    Ciun set her hands on her lap. ¡°How old are you?¡±

    ¡°Twenty one.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ll be a twenty-two year old successful explorer of ancient ruins and a strapping young bachelor when you get back? Take it from somebody who¡¯s wasted a lot of time, starting fresh is better than wasting it. You have plenty of life ahead of you.¡±

    Illus¡¯s eyes rested on the hazy river, the sun¡¯s rays glittering in tiny rainbows. ¡°How have you not gone insane here?¡±

    She snickered to herself. ¡°I¡¯m not anymore.¡±

    Illus stifled laughter of his own. ¡°Not very reassuring now, is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little hard to tell sometimes. Maybe people would think I¡¯m insane for simply being happy that I woke up and saw the sun, but that¡¯s fine with me.¡±

    ¡°You seem a lot more sane than the fox.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a low bar.¡±

    ¡°Verily.¡±

    Silence took hold and Illus lost himself in staring over the distant landscape. He breathed in the crisp, fresh mountain air and let his mind wander, thinking about what life would look like when he got back to civilization. Finding intel, reporting about the ruins, and-

    The military would be coming.

    If the others made it out and reported back, there would certainly be a military presence, especially if relics or magic existed at the ruins. Even just Ciun and the fox would be grounds for a full excavation to take place.

    Illus¡¯s jaw shook as he interrupted the pristine silence. ¡°Ciun?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Are¡­ did you or the fox tell the other three about relics or magic in the ruins? Are there any?¡±

    Her tone turned sharp. ¡°Why do you care to know?¡±

    Illus turned back to her, noticing a slight frown. ¡°Because if¡­ when they tell the Colonel about this expedition, I have no idea how many men they will send to rip these ruins apart. I don¡¯t know what they will do to you and the fox, or whatever else they find, but Ani read the poem, so she may very well tell them of you.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Ciun¡¯s frown turned into a smile. ¡°How do you think I have lived this long without getting caught?¡±

    Illus worried about what would happen, that he may be the reason harm befalls her. ¡°I figured it may be of interest to you, that you may prepare.¡±

    ¡°You need not worry about me, Illus. I have my ways.¡± Her tone fell ever so slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡±

    Illus immediately followed up. ¡°How long has it been?¡±

    She paused while staring to the ground, then the sky. Finally, ¡°Good question.¡±

    Illus bit his cheek, his curiosity rising. ¡°What was Imahken like before?¡±

    Ciun rose from her seat, gracefully approaching the ledge, a healthy distance from Illus. ¡°Would you like to see what the world looked like before I donned this mask?¡±

    With a nod from Illus, the air around shimmered with twinkles of light that slowly created a view vastly different from the forest around, as if the air were being painted by intricate brush strokes. The carpet of trees spanning hundreds of miles became a sprawling city around the crescent lake. Cobblestone streets extended in all directions as far as Illus could see. Along them were tiled forums and an assortment of bright, colorful stone houses. The ground beneath Illus was not stone, but painted tiles covering the mountaintop and steps the whole way up. Neatly manicured trees and more granite tiles covered the ground all the way up. Illus walked to the other side and gazed down over a magnificent granite temple, columns and tile adorning every square inch. In fact, the entirety of the overgrown ruins from river to river was this one temple, layers upon layers of carefully carved granite. The amphitheater roared with people watching moose and deer race. Crowded citizens carried offerings over the covered bridge and up the mountain. The rose gardens spanned even farther in an intricate maze around the temple. All of it was frozen in place, frozen in a picture in time.

    And in the center of the peak stood a massive statue of the fox, a wide divan where Enae sat, masked, receiving tribute from those who had climbed.

    Yet Illus¡¯s eyes traced the vast sea of vibrant houses and parks to Ciun, standing with her back to the city, staring at her sister on the divan.

    Then the vision faded, a sullen air taking hold.

    Illus¡¯s lips had fallen open, amazement slowly drifting from him as the world returned to green. The temple overgrown. The city lost to time.

    ¡°How does¡­¡± Illus began, his eyes locked on the remnant of the world before, ¡°how does such a city become¡­ this.¡±

    She forced a somber smile as the divan became the worn seat she had sat upon to watch the sunrise. ¡°It is simply the truth of all things great and small. We thought Imahken would reign forever. It was perfect, a life of splendor for all who desired it. But with enough time, all people, all places, all things return to the Earth. The Earth, which I presume will return to something far grander, with or without us.¡±

    The air fell still, a potent silence grasping them. Ciun ran her hand over the smooth stone seat, taking in a heavy breath.

    Illus¡¯s heart fell, remorse taking hold for the woman in front of him. ¡°Did you witness the fall of Imahken?¡±

    Ciun slowly shook her head, wistfully talking to the seat in front of her. ¡°When I finally ascended from the catacombs, the streets were full of skeletons. The city a dusty echo of itself. No¡­ it was already in ruins when the people died. Broken, looted, destroyed. Millenia it took to reach such a grand age, all to fall without a whisper of its demise.¡±

    ¡°Who were you before?¡± He sat back down on the edge, eyes falling to the hazy lake.

    ¡°I was the daughter of the principal family of Imahken, who received the fox¡¯s curse in exchange for our empire¡¯s wealth. A privileged, easy life. A painter. I used to travel the streets, painting walls and portraits for people because I had no other worries, just to see the smiles on their faces and all those who passed.¡±

    Illus picked up his chin and turned to her. ¡°Did you paint the mosaic of your sister?¡±

    Ciun quickly righted her posture, as if surprised he asked. ¡°Yes. I¡­ did.¡±

    ¡°Life must look beautiful through your eyes. In the two visions you¡¯ve shown, in the mosaic, the world is so bright and vibrant, every detail carefully attended to.¡±

    She lowered her head, wordless.

    ¡°Is that how you¡¯ve made it all these years? How you¡¯ve kept going?¡±

    She nodded and met his eyes. ¡°How else could I?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the secret?¡± Illus chuckled. ¡°Surely you have life figured out by now.¡±

    A breathy laugh slipped from her. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Not even an idea?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure life has an answer, Illus. The more I searched, the more I wanted answers, the more I found myself at odds with the world around me, struggling against an unyielding storm of questions. I got to a point where I forgot why I wanted to know in the first place. All I could think was ¡®why waste my life unraveling an unknowable mystery when I can simply live it?¡¯ There is no answer, only life.¡±

    Illus leaned back. ¡°You don¡¯t care to know what comes after?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°Everyone says they have the answers, that everyone else is wrong, that there is only one truth. I¡¯ll find out when I face the inevitable darkness, but time doesn¡¯t come back. My home will never rise again. I will never see Imahken outside of a glance at a moment in a memory.¡±

    Illus turned away, a potent, grounding sensation settling throughout his body.

    ¡°I see the ocean of trees beneath the rising sun. I hear the gentle winds rustling leaves. I smell the musty earth and crisp air. I feel the chill of the early-morning breeze and dew on my hands. What¡¯s there not to love in such a moment? Who am I to want anything more?¡±

    He nodded lightly, taking in a deep breath.

    She smiled to him. ¡°You¡¯re young, Illus. Younger than you know. Give everything you have to life and you will face death with nothing holding you down. Live with love, unworried for the consequences of goodness. And you¡¯ll know you¡¯ve done it right when all you love returns to send you off.¡±

    Illus¡¯s eyes became glassy. A profound longing, unknowable loneliness, resonated in the words she spoke, like it was something she knew she would never have. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to bring up such a painful subject.¡±

    Ciun wiped beneath her mask. ¡°You have to hurt before you can heal. That¡¯s one hard truth of life. One of many.¡±

    A certain lightness took hold of his heart as he turned around to her, meeting the mask¡¯s cunning blue eyes. ¡°It takes an awful long time to heal, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°You never stop.¡± A warm smile graced her lips as the wind blew her hair into a plume of bright blue that seemed to meld into the sky. ¡°Don¡¯t count the days until you¡¯re gone. Don¡¯t lament what¡¯s passed. Smile for what you have. You¡¯ll start to see the beauty that life¡¯s moments have to offer, even in your darkest times. Like here. Worry not for what is outside of your control and you will remain resilient enough to see the outside again.¡±

    Illus saw beauty in that moment atop the mountain. He saw it in the sun glinting off of Ciun¡¯s silky hair and shiny nightgown, in the kindness of her gentle voice, and in the reassurance of hope from a lonely remnant of a bygone era

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, ¡°for your willingness to begin anew. I¡¯ll be sure to return you to your people with all I can offer.¡±

    Illus¡¯s hair flipped in front of his pearly gray eyes as he nodded. ¡°Thank you for giving me a place to stay. I¡¯ll be sure to leave your home better than I found it.¡±

    He grabbed his walking stick and pushed up with a groan, stretching his legs to begin descending. ¡°Will you be accompanying me yet again?¡±

    She paused, glancing over her shoulder. ¡°I will leave you to your privacy today, but please, beware the fox.¡±

    ¡°My trust is not an easy thing to earn anymore, and the fox is no exception.¡±

    Ciun turned back to him. ¡°Have I earned your trust?¡±

    Illus mulled over what he knew of her, wondering if perhaps this was all a deception, all a specter, all a vision to pull the wool over his eyes. If there was yet another mask in front of the one on her face. He still had doubts, questions. What did she mean when she said she ascended from the catacombs? She said her family took on the fox¡¯s curse for her people¡¯s prosperity, so was she responsible? He found himself questioning everything she said, if she was truthful, what she may have been hiding.

    She chuckled to herself at his lack of an answer. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust me either.¡±

    He shot her a nod. ¡°Be seeing you, Ciun, or so you¡¯ve led me to believe is your name.¡±

    With a mischievous smirk, she waved and leapt backward off of the mountain, arcing high in the air before disappearing into the trees.

    Illus ventured down the mountain, the resplendent day gracing him with clear skies. As he neared the bottom, he spotted a hearty salmon in the middle of the steps, little tooth marks in its skin. Glancing to and fro, a particular black and blue fox poked its head out of the bushes.

    The fox raised a claw to its mouth as if shushing Illus, then silently beckoned him to follow. Illus peeked over his shoulders, not spying Ciun anywhere. Of course the fox would not wait, why would it? It had waited weeks for Illus to be free of Ciun¡¯s guard, as had Illus been waiting for a chance to find a better fishing spot. And perhaps the fox could shed light on some of the mystery surrounding her.

    Illus nodded to the fox and followed from afar. The fox led him down past the mosaic, through the gully, and in the opposite direction from the catacombs. At the outlet of the gully, the river raged down its carved path.

    The fox stopped at the edge, pointing around a corner. At the end of the gully laid a narrow outcropping leading to a cave. The fox waited inside the cave, a low cackle escaping its lips.

    Illus worried he had fallen into a trap, but his curiosity got the better of him yet again. The fox whipped its tail in a circle until a blue flame popped into existence at the tip. It held the flame close, revealing wet, dark stone walls inscribed with yet another poem, this one called ¡°The Lie of Ciun.¡±

    In these halls our voices concealed

    Her words splice meaning to shield.

    Lies beget her honest pretense,

    A frail creature without any sense.

    Truth is a weapon which annihilates

    The perfect life she longingly awaits.

    Fox offers domain to he who¡¯s known,

    Wishes granted by the comet stone.

    To steal away her grasp of reality

    Conceal, where she cannot see.

    Ciun stolen mask, the fox¡¯s rite,

    Is earned for the man¡¯s plight.

    Burdened her vessel by soul no more,

    With whole heart, her life be swore.

    A feast of life belonging to Ciun,

    Curse the fox that he became a loon.

    Her game is to run into the darkness

    Mask, not the goal, in fact much less.

    Her face shall be seen and fox freed,

    Chains shackle, for the witch¡¯s greed.

    The fox¡¯s face fell, a staunch difference in expression from usual. ¡°A gift from one called Carmonia, a man burdened by logorrhea. Through his diving, he found her thriving, at my sole expense, then banished him hence, into the blasted maze, the catacombs her craze.¡±

    It lingered past Illus, the flame idly lighting the poem.

    Illus whispered, ¡°and she cannot hear us here?¡±

    The fox shook its head. ¡°Her words are but an act, her distance true to the fact, that she seals me in this prison, all visitors she will christen, with wicked insanity, all for her vanity. The mask grants her power, that stifles me every hour.¡±

    ¡°Fox,¡± Illus investigated the poem further, ¡°the poem seems to tell that if her face is seen, your soul will be freed.¡±

    ¡°And into a new life she¡¯ll fly, burdened to one day die.¡± The fox growled lightly. ¡°Flesh to rot, she¡¯ll have got. She created this hell and locked me in a cell. Uses my life, extends this strife. What madness could I shun, when she blocked me from the sun.¡±

    ¡°The catacombs?¡±

    ¡°Forever and a day spent wandering, mind lost in itself pondering, once was she a divine, until the boldness of mine. Claiming men¡¯s souls, her wicked goals. Using my face, leaving no trace. Only me to blame, this lie is her game.¡±

    ¡°And if I take the mask?¡±

    The fox¡¯s mouth crept into an awestruck smile, like he had seen a miracle. ¡°My assured liberation, your certain jubilation. A woman uncursed, to quench your heart¡¯s thirst, love at first sight, nothing left of her blight. Her mind washed clean, never again so mean.¡±

    Illus grappled with that idea for a moment, trying to understand the fox¡¯s riddles and the poem, ¡°So Ciun is a witch, inhabiting that woman¡¯s body through the mask?¡±

    The fox jumped closer to him, desperation overflowing from its maddened visage. ¡°Ay, yes, no less! The mask, your task! Enae¡¯s vessel, in endless wrestle, to Ciun¡¯s envy, make her free!¡±

    ¡°But then¡­ why would Ciun crave eternity if she is locked in here?¡±

    The fox lowered his head. ¡°My final act of magic, for me was tragic, a prison upon that lich, that one day she would switch, perhaps return her sister, when eternity lost its glister.¡±

    Illus shook his head, fighting through the babble and tricks, the half-truths and lies, if there were any. He stepped toward the river, grasping his temple at the outcropping of the cave.

    The fox followed him in horror. ¡°You have been swayed, Ciun¡¯s curse is laid, into your head, caught in her thread.¡±

    ¡°Shush! Please!¡± He turned to the fox. ¡°You trapped me here, harmed my sister and friend, how can I take a single word you say as truth?¡±

    ¡°It was not me, an honest plea! I am without ability, to change what others see. Stolen all by she, sorceress, banshee!¡±

    ¡°And if all this is a lie?¡±

    ¡°Tis none, never a lie! I swear upon the sky!¡±

    Illus stared the fox closely in its eyes, reading every little eye movement, every face muscle. ¡°You promise me her love if I take her mask. It¡¯s bait for a fool.¡±

    ¡°Unconditional, all volitional! Without her wicked whims, you¡¯ll be puppeting her limbs! A most perfect true love, forever yours thereof.¡±

    Illus scowled at the fox. ¡°You¡¯ve a twisted idea of love, fox.¡±

    A snarl began growing on the fox¡¯s face. ¡°You follow her blindly, just as Anilee. What became of her? Love? No, a blur.¡±

    Illus¡¯s heart sank, his head wrestling with the fear that maybe the fox was right, that maybe¡­

    The fox eased his snarl, a softer, sympathetic voice coming through. ¡°Her visions play on emotion, forcing you to devotion. For your ache I have no glee, I only wish you to be free.¡±

    Illus¡¯s mind raced every which way, unsure who or what to believe. Had Ciun really been using the fox¡¯s image to trick people? Had she some game to pull Illus into? Or was the fox lying? One of them was, one of them was playing on his emotions. Ciun seemed more obviously believable, but was that part of the plan?

    He propped himself on the stone and glanced at the fox. ¡°Thank you, fox,¡± he said to be safe, to not provoke the fox any further if it was lying, ¡°I must wrestle with this new information.¡±

    The fox closed its eyes, bowing its head. ¡°Do what you must, I believe in your trust. False security, is her surety.¡±

    Illus returned to the shed and laid down, taking the stress off of his leg. He sat in quiet contemplation, wondering why both were so interested in him, why they both seemed to guard over him. And then an even scarier thought befell him. Were they manipulating his emotions without him knowing? Were Ciun¡¯s words laced with magic to lure him in for her game? Was the fox pretending it all to drive him to take her mask for its own reasons? Were they both playing him? Or only one? How would he even notice?

    He did nothing the rest of the evening.

    Afraid of serenity Ciun¡¯s company brought, afraid to reap the bounty of the fox¡¯s fishing spot.

    The fox promised more, that was for sure.

    Ciun had seemed to bloom, or was it an omen of his doom?

    As Illus wrestled with these lies''s grime, away slipped the passing time.

    He wondered in his dismal spin, if this is how those explorers had been.

 He venturing these ought fear those

    The sun had risen, but Illus saw no sleep. Upon that stone bench and blanket he laid all night, running the fox¡¯s and Ciun¡¯s words in his mind, then the poems. Uncomfortable bedding, jarring lonesome, and unfamiliar conditions already made sleep a chore, so additional worries only fueled an already roaring fire. He came to three major conclusions:

    <ol>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Ciun was currently safer to be around, no matter that she was an immortal sorceress.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">The fox only intended to pull him from Ciun, to provoke him to take her mask. Blatant bait.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">The poems¡¯ intentions conflicted with each other, the first one favoring Ciun and the second favoring the fox. No clear conclusion could be drawn from them presently.</li>

    </ol>

    Illus had to remind himself that his only goal was to survive and get back to civilization, not get wrapped up in their game. Ciun seemed to be more in favor of that than the fox, so he would bide his time closer to her, never attempting to take the mask. The fact that the poems could be false only left him with more questions, too, but those would only be answered by learning more.

    Had the fox in the cave been a test by Ciun? Was the fox even real at all, or was it all Ciun? He rarely saw them together, and Ciun moved so silently that he would never hear her approach. And his emotions, who had been playing with them, or was he responding naturally?

    To not trust others was simple, but the thought of losing trust in his own faculties sent a cruel shiver through him.

    His challenge was survival, first and foremost, and to survive their game, he would have to learn some truths. For starters, he wanted to find out if Ciun had been listening to his conversation with the fox, or perhaps she had staged it.

    Illus took up his fishing pole and walked to the north river in a daze. The misty earth obscured his feet, the morning sun having just poked its head over the mountain. Hidden in the mountain¡¯s shadow, Illus hoped to reach the river before the fox could find him. Regardless of if the fox spoke truth or lies, its company unsettled him.

    Ciun was already upon her usual pillar in her usual fashion by the time Illus arrived in his sloppy trudge. Unreadable as always, she greeted him. ¡°Did this morning sneak up on you?¡±

    He weakly nodded, his eyes droopy and struggling to focus on anything. ¡°Something of the sort.¡± Furrowing his brow and casting his line, he turned to Ciun. ¡°Is this how you normally are?¡±

    ¡°More personable, you mean?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°In normal circumstances, yes. It took a while to remember what normalcy felt like.¡±

    Illus nodded, yawning.

    Her tone shifted sternly as she pried. ¡°The fox isn¡¯t the cause for your exhaustion, is it?¡±

    ¡°Huh? No. I already struck a bargain with the fox that he wouldn¡¯t bother me at night. Hasn¡¯t since. He¡¯s a more civil neighbor than I was expecting. He seemed awfully malicious at first.¡±

    The mask stared directly at Illus, as if Ciun were glaring at him behind it. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t his ploy to keep you here?¡±

    ¡°Not much of a choice in leaving. But to join in on your two¡¯s game? Probably. Rest assured, I have no interest in a conflict that does not involve me.¡±

    ¡°The fox will make it involve you. Surely it must be itching to contact you.¡±

    Illus¡¯s tired expression became a potent defense. He was too tired to emote with his usual skepticism. His words slurred and mumbled more than usual, too tired to tell things or be caught in casual conversation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Illus shrugged, watching a salmon swim past his hook. ¡°Bugger. Oh, the fox is probably out carving another poem or what-have-you.¡± Illus paused briefly, seeing if Ciun would jump in to respond, but she didn¡¯t. ¡°He did carve that out before the ruins, didn¡¯t he?¡± He turned to Ciun, half looking at her.

    She looked toward the river. ¡°Likely one of the fox¡¯s victims.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s what I¡¯m most confused on,¡± Illus began, ¡°what does the fox do to drive people so mad?¡±

    Still, the mask faced away from him. ¡°I cannot speak to the fox¡¯s power, nor how it deceives, only what it has done.¡± Her tone changed again, as if worry underlaid a pained memory, ¡°It drove them mad with desire, unfurling their minds until they were unsure of reality, unwilling to trust. Then when they slipped into madness, they joined the game.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always back to the game, the mask,¡± Illus chuckled and slapped his thigh, an idea coming to him. ¡°By the way, and not to be rude, do you ever take it off? I don¡¯t want to steal it and claim the mask¡¯s power or whatever it is. It¡¯s¡­ I suppose it¡¯s a bit strange not seeing the face of the person I speak to so often.¡±

    Ciun¡¯s mask turned to him, her mouth flat, indicating some irritation at that comment along with her sarcastic words. ¡°Do you think I wear the mask as a fashion statement? To bait people into taking it? Or perhaps there¡¯s another reason?¡±

    Illus pretended to think, then pointed to her. ¡°You¡¯re a burn victim, aren¡¯t you? A cool, visceral scar hides behind that mask of yours. You should know my best friend has a nasty face scar and we get along quite well.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, her mouth thinning further.

    Illus pulled his pole out of the water to recast it farther. ¡°I apologize, I didn¡¯t realize it was such a sensitive subject.¡±

    He could feel her glare from beneath the mask. He was getting under her skin. ¡°Yes, how could you have known?¡±

    ¡°All I have is a stingy poem which may not even be truthful in its promises of, what, immortality from the mask? I¡¯ll pass on that.¡±

    Her voice softened. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you want immortality?¡±

    The lightness of his mind caught Illus in a daze. ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯re not supposed to live forever. It¡¯s hardly desirable to see everyone you love die while you are doomed to remain.¡±

    ¡°Awfully pointed answer.¡±

    He glanced up to her with another shrug. ¡°I¡¯m just a man caught up in a game played by immortals. The fox may be a mirage of yours for all I know.¡±

    Cloth shifted above Illus, and he glanced up to see Ciun standing on the column. ¡°What did the fox tell you?¡±

    ¡°It caught me on a walk and babbled about a mouse in a house. Some metaphor, I think. Hard to tell most of the time.¡±

    What did he say, Illus?¡±

    ¡°My mind is foggy from being up all night.¡±

    Ciun clenched her jaw, her voice strengthening enough to cause reverberations throughout the air. ¡°What did the fox tell you?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Illus¡¯s gaze hardened, swallowing a sudden rising fear. ¡°You can ease the voice mirage. I really prefer your company when you¡¯re not tampering with my emotions.¡± He pinched the bridge of his nose, watching another salmon swim right past the hook, taking no interest in it. ¡°Bloody hell! Not a fish in the world is hungry enough to even stop!¡± He shot up, fury spiking in his blood.

    Then Ciun¡¯s voice erupted behind him. ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡±

    Within a fraction of a second, the fish began disappearing from the water, dissipating into blue smoke.

    Illus¡¯s rage sweltered, his trust demolished. He broke into a fit, erupting at Ciun. ¡°Have you been creating these salmon to keep me under your watch?! To keep me unfed?! For what?!¡±

    She dismissively waved it off, ¡°Illus, the fox is deceiving you-¡±

    ¡°Is it?! You¡¯re the only one around!¡±

    ¡°The fox was hiding nearby, Illus.¡±

    ¡°The fox! The fox! The fox! It¡¯s always the fox!¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you,¡± she gently pleaded with him, ¡°I have no reason to cause you harm.¡±

    Illus broke out into a fit of yelling. ¡°How am I supposed to know that?! How am I supposed to know anything?! Look where you are! You¡¯re terrified of me! I¡¯m being tugged along every which way by this blasted game, so it must be awfully important! Baited along by the fox leaving me fish! Baited along by the poem offering power from your mask! Baited by you testing if I¡¯ll notice you manipulating my emotions! Baited into whatever your game is every which way when all I asked for was peace!¡± He threw the fishing pole to the ground, pulling the ring out of his back pocket. ¡°Baited along into this hell by a woman who wanted bollocks all to do with me!¡±

    His eyes were wild. Clenching his hand around the ring, he reared his arm back to toss it into the river. He held his shaking fist in place for a moment, the exhaustion and frustration blaring through his head like a crashing train horn.

    And then Ciun was beside him, hand on his, guiding it to his side. ¡°Illus,¡± she whispered lightly to him, a calming chill coursing down his body, ¡°I¡¯m not testing you. I¡¯m not lying to you. I¡¯m here because the fox will not relent, but I am not omnipotent. I can only protect you from what I see and hear.¡±

    Illus¡¯s temper fell, his eyes resting on the silver band and pearlescent white sapphire gem. He glanced at Ciun by his side, then past her, to Ciun on the pillar. The one by his side dissipated into blue mist and he fell back to his seat. He wiped at a rogue tear forcing its way from his eye.

    She held her head down. ¡°That is the first time I have manipulated your emotions, Illus.¡±

    His head fell onto his hand with a wry chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re not even trying with these lies anymore. Then what was the voice thing you did, Ciun? Was that not an attempt to scare me?¡±

    She paused. ¡°The fox was nearby, tampering with our conversation. Your comment on my voice clued me into it.¡±

    Illus bit his lip, a silent, maddened laugh creeping up his chest. He forced it down, on the verge of breaking down. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that the fox has nothing better to do than make my life into misery so that I¡¯ll hate you enough to steal your mask?¡±

    Ciun nodded. ¡°Illus, what reason would I have to want you to take my mask, to bring your hate and to¡­ bring me such a terrible fate? How can I prove to you that I do not control the fox?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know what the mask does! I know nothing except what the both of you tell me!¡± He stared exhausted into the river.

    ¡°Walk me through your meetings with the fox, beginning to end, please.¡±

    He sat back, trying to calm himself. ¡°It was standing on the rock outside of the ruins. Sator and Tyza attacked it, and it made these-¡±

    Illus paused, staring blankly up at Ciun, then stopped talking. He remembered the fox making the sounds of the weapons, then he remembered how he had sat with Ciun by the water for so many days, catching her in the midst of mimicking the sounds of the river.

    ¡°Illus?¡± Ciun asked him, noticing he spaced out.

    He stared blankly forward, unwilling to look at Ciun, pondering how he would manage to survive this place. Survive her game. Was all of this just her toying with him? She knew he would never be able to get the mask, so did she just want to watch him toil away for entertainment? Why would she call attention to it? Did she want him to know? Did she want to know if he had pieced it all together? Or was it part of the fox¡¯s lengthy deception?

    ¡°My mind is tired, Ciun. I think I need to sleep.¡±

    She frowned, her voice low and remorseful. ¡°You should. And¡­ please, Illus, keep your head. I would quite like to see you leave here well.¡±

    Faux sympathy? Baiting him into trust? Or honest? Why didn¡¯t she help him escape with Anilee like when she helped him get to Tyza in the catacombs? When did she steal Anilee¡¯s nightgown? Had she been the one casting mirages that trapped him? Were these all the fox¡¯s deceptions? That would be the easiest thing to believe, that Ciun were honest and pleasant, but the subtleties, the points where things didn¡¯t make sense¡­ they plagued his mind to no end. Hungry, exhausted, empty of emotion, Illus ventured down the river to where the salmon would spawn to swim upstream.

    He didn¡¯t even have to see the end of the river before the stench hit his nose. Beached salmon lined the river by the blue haze, like they had simply swam out into the gravel and flopped to death.

    Then a cackle. The fox¡¯s cackle. Illus gazed toward the source and spotted a glimpse of a tall figure, a white spot near where a head would be, surrounded by blue and dressed in blue. It disappeared into the trees above just after he caught a smirk on her face.

    An empty, jittering weight throbbed through Illus, despair.

    And then he wondered why he was bothering at all. He had survival to worry about, not a petty hatred and a mask game. He thought of Tyza and Sator on the outside, thinking he was dead. Would they be starting anew with the money from the expedition already? He wanted to get out of the ruins more than anything, to give them the peace of mind that he lived.

    Illus clenched his fists, a deep sputter creeping up from his chest. A sob and a laugh in tandem, at the misery he would face and the thought of overcoming it as he always had. He just had to use what got him so far, practicality and resilience.

    His temper calmed and his chest eased. His whole body lightened as if he was back in control. With a bit of a limp and a steady mind, he poked through the fish on the shore, searching for fresh ones. He spotted two fish flopping on the shore and screamed.

    ¡°Yes! Ahah!¡± He almost took off into a sprint toward them, then paused with an idea.

    Illus scraped a fistful of gravel up and threw it out toward the flopping fish. Both disappeared. His joy faded, but his spirits were high.

    Another deep laugh emerged from Illus, and he poked at one of the dead fish. Still fresh enough to eat.

    Illus pocketed several fistfuls of gravel and set off toward the shed, uncaring for everything else he saw, realizing all he had to do was keep himself in check, as Ciun first said. All her advice had rang true. He had no reason yet why he shouldn¡¯t trust her.

    Perhaps the blur was not Ciun, but the fox presenting Enae. Perhaps the fox was framing Ciun to make him hate her enough to take the mask. He realized then that the fox only had that one goal, for Illus to take Ciun¡¯s mask. The fox was who trapped Illus, not Ciun. The fox was just trying to drive Illus mad, pulling Illus¡¯s faith to poems written by men made mad by the fox. The fox who was a master of deception, a manipulator of the mind.

    With a full stomach and content mind, he went to sleep just in time for the heavy gray clouds to roll in.

    The fox found itself by the darkening amphitheater¡¯s pond creating mirages for the frogs to attack so it could grab their tongues. Clothes brushed behind it.

    ¡°Ciun, what a time. Commit I crime?¡± It cackled, glancing at the masked woman in the reflection of the water.

    ¡°I warrant your falsehoods have yet lost more strength. Is your control finally fading?¡± She held her hands in her sleeves, tiptoeing across the lilypads in front of the fox.

    ¡°An aloof man I see, enticed by your trickery.¡±

    ¡°Do not pretend it is not in his best interest.¡±

    The fox broke out into a wild laugh, scaring all the frogs away. ¡°Aye, sigh. One test he passed, but tis not the last.¡±

    ¡°He remains strong.¡± Ciun turned away from the fox, helping a frightened frog onto a stone.

    ¡°He doubts, he shouts. He scouts for trouts. You hear so clear yet sneer when near.¡± The fox frowned at Ciun. ¡°I only wish to save your kin, but all my love to hate you spin. I am your friend! Great men I send! Always you deny and then they die. My game is of love, yours the death thereof.¡±

    ¡°Yet you bat at frogs and fish all day. For what?¡±

    The fox leapt into the air, hovering while twisting playfully. ¡°All you do is harp, but my skills are sharp. You see a victory, I¡¯m contradictory. Nothing is won, which is not done. Why must you fear, a life of veneer? Your brother and sisters all, enjoyed a scrumptious ball! Then Enae my delight, a joyous flight. Now all of them suffer, all on your selfish spur.¡±

    Ciun sneered at the fox. ¡°What¡¯s a husk to enjoy, to live for at all? I weep for their torture, their suffering in ways-¡±

    ¡°Bah!¡± The fox burst out laughing. ¡°Hah! A tale as old as time! Tears belonging to a mime! You watched your people die with a blatantly uncaring eye! Never a thing you felt, lest I¡¯m not a god in a pelt!¡±

    ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡±

    Ciun stoically stared into the haze as the fox dissipated with its cackle.

    Its voice lingered in her head, though. ¡°For every era you live through, I¡¯ve a million more, then a slew! Good luck, sorceress, he will soon obsess.¡±

    Ciun waited on the lilypad a moment more, idly thinking to herself, gently feeling the mask on her tired face.

 Who in life seek not to be chose.

    The rain poured, obscuring the sun to no end. The fox relented for that time and Ciun distanced herself too. It would have been mid-autumn, a month after Illus¡¯s breakdown, when the rain finally let up. However, he made careful use of that time.

    He snuck out in the rain to record the second poem and investigated deeper into the cave. Not long into his venture, he discovered the walls becoming lined with bones and promptly turned around. He searched every nook and cranny of the amphitheater for hidden poems, messages, anything. He turned over stones in the ruined field of columns. He scoured the walls of the gully, beneath the bridge. He scanned the rose maze and fountain. He analyzed every tile of the mosaic, yet nothing still. All he found were bones, slowly being uncovered as the rain washed away the topsoil. The pale chalky stones lining the bottom of the rivers were not stones at all, but weathered remains.

    For every dark day, he was without Ciun¡¯s protection from the fox, too. He would bid her goodbye, giving him time on his lonesome to fish, chop wood, and harvest the bounty of the land. Ciun tended to the fields and the orchards on her lonesome, and she would tell him what was allowed to be harvested and when. From this, he gathered a healthy stockpile of fish, potatoes, pears, and herbs that he dried over brazier in his shed.

    In his spare time, he studied the poems. Rather quickly, he found an occurrence in both, a pattern that he needed another poem to know if it was intentional or simply a coincidence. That is why he took to searching in the rain amidst his survival.

    It seemed as though he would need to feign friendship with the fox to find the next poem, though. To find the final clues that Carmonia left, the truth that Ciun could not speak. The clouds would not stay out forever and Illus would again be burdened by the fox. If Carmonia left clues on the fox, Illus believed his survival would be assured.

    The rain cleared in the evening on a warm autumn day. Illus was out fishing and the rain stopped just as the sun disappeared behind the mountain. He would be safe from the fox, and he would be safe from flash flooding and hypothermia to check one of the two spots he had not been able to reach in the rain. The peak of the mountain.

    He needed no sun, for the sky was bright and starry, a full moon glowing above the Earth. With the moon as his guide, Illus ascended the mountain, carefully checking every stone and tile that may be big enough to house a poem, or even just a line.

    Drenched dirt made the climb more difficult, but to finally be free of the rain was prize enough. Slowly he ascended the steps, stopping at the outcropping of rock where Ciun had gifted him her power. The stone was almost perfectly smooth as he expected. Weathered by the elements, he kneeled, brushing at the fallen leaves and soil by the edge.

    A crack? No. A carving.

    Illus feverishly swept at the rock with his hands, relief rushing through him. He revealed a line, not even bothering to read it as he swept away deeper to reveal more of the stone. Another line! Another chance to cement his survival.

    He swept and dug, but there was no more to this poem. The shallow carving had barely escaped weathering. One final couplet of a poem was all that remained.

    Standing back, he read the lines aloud while recording them in his notebook.

    ¡°Follow this poem¡¯s every verse,

    Ciun may be saved from her curse.¡±

    Illus stared blankly at the stone which once held a seemingly important poem, then fell to his rear, a hysterical laugh erupting from his core.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he lamented, ¡°what would my terrible luck be without a proper throttling every now and again?¡±

    He held the pencil to Anilee¡¯s journal, wondering what his next step would be. The fox would be out with the sun and torment with it. His fingers idly flipped backward, his lips curling into a smile as he reminisced over the crossed out self portraits. The one closest to the end showed her dirty, disheveled, and in the same clothes she wore into the ruins, crossed out lightly. Yet it was the most lifelike picture of her in the journal.

    ¡°If only I¡¯d known how deceptive that face of yours was.¡±

    He lingered on her dimpled, freckled and filthy cheeks, her vexed frown, her tired, baggy eyes, and short hooked nose. That picture was the first page in the journal now. Drawings, useless notes, everything before had been torn out, used to start fires.

    There was a knock on wood behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder. Nobody. He scanned the ground and nothing. Perhaps a bird. Or the fox had finally broken his word.

    He pushed back from the ledge to be safe, then glanced up around the treeline to see if he could spot the moon. Instead, he saw a mask staring into the journal. His heart jumped, a brief fright hitting him, but he laughed it off.

    Standing up, he tucked away the journal and walked toward the mountain. With glances over his shoulder, he spied her watching, following him up from the trees. The night air was calm, the breeze cool, and his legs spry once again. They had been gaining strength with his walks in the rain, so he decided something against his better interest.

    He sneered over his shoulder at Ciun and took off in a sprint, knowing he could not win, but seeing if she would give chase. Sure enough, she leapt from treetop to treetop far faster than he could run. The fresh air invigorated his lungs, opening his mouth to a smile and his heart to a moment of peace. He sprinted out onto the mountaintop, then Ciun landed across from him.

    She stood across from him, a slight hunch like she was ready to take action.

    ¡°Hah!¡± Illus shouted, ¡°I win!¡±

    Ciun paused, her neck pulling back, mouth slightly ajar.

    ¡°I thought for sure you would win,¡± Illus gloated, ¡°being as fast and flighty as you are.¡±

    She tilted her head, then frowned. ¡°You did not win.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± He marched proudly to the stone seat. ¡°My foot hit the peak before yours. That means I get the thr-r-rone.¡± He rolled his tongue with pompous gusto for ¡®throne.¡¯ Sitting down, back straight, he let out a large sigh. ¡°It¡¯s quite comfortable, a little thin for me, but nice and smooth.¡±

    ¡°Get out of my seat.¡± She stood up straight, her mouth stern, the mask¡¯s eyes imposing as ever.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had it thousands of years, Ciun. Can a man not take his winner¡¯s seat after a successful race? Just once?¡±

    ¡°Get up.¡±

    Illus spoke before he thought. ¡°Make me.¡±

    She stood in place, slightly biting her lip.

    ¡°Afraid I¡¯ll take your mask if you get close? Afraid the fox has been whispering in my ear?¡± He twitched his eye at her with a smile.

    Suddenly she was in his face, a sharpened wooden spear rearing back to impale him through the chest.

    He didn¡¯t move. ¡°Not real.¡±

    The spear thrust through him, causing no injury. Illus picked a piece of stone from his pocket and flicked it through the mirage. It dissipated into mist and he prepared to raise his eyebrows at her once it cleared, but she wasn¡¯t there.

    A swift kick to the back knocked him upward. His stomach shot into his chest like he was weightless and he took off flipping in the air, upside-down just in time to see Ciun taking her seat back with a smug grin.

    All of the gravel in his pockets spilled out into the air, up his nose, in his eyes. Illus coughed and sputtered as he returned upright, then landed on his feet.

    Illus held his head, regained his bearings, and then chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would be such a sore loser.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lose.¡±

    ¡°I should really be thanking Ani right now, because if nothing else, she taught me how to spot lies quite well.¡±

    Ciun crossed her legs. ¡°I¡¯ll say.¡± She held up his journal and opened it to the first page. ¡°She does look like quite the liar.¡± Illus¡¯s smile faded as she also procured the ring, analyzing it closely. ¡°Strange taste in jewelry, too. Was this hers?¡±

    He turned away. ¡°It was going to be hers.¡±

    ¡°A gift?¡±

    ¡°A proposal. I almost did it right on this mountain.¡±

    ¡°A proposal for what?¡± Ciun flipped through the rest of the notebook.

    Illus turned back to her, bewilderment in his expression. ¡°No such thing as marriage in your time?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we had that. Is the ring part of your ceremonies?¡±

    ¡°The man is supposed to give a ring when he asks for the woman¡¯s hand in marriage. It¡¯s usually a prepared thing on a planned day and the man surprises her with it.¡±

    Ciun straightened up in surprise. ¡°Your women get a say in marriage?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, um, they do. I presume it was different for you?¡±

    ¡°They used to throw us into the catacombs and make men chase us to steal the mask. Whoever got it would be led out by the fox and then given to each other.¡±

    Illus¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°That¡¯s horrifying.¡±

    ¡°Tell that to the suitors who never made it out.¡± Ciun chuckled. ¡°Well, that was just my family. Most normal people were arranged by their parents.¡±

    ¡°So then¡­¡± pity overtook Illus¡¯s face, ¡°all of your family lost their souls?¡±

    Her smile faded with a slight nod. ¡°How did you learn that?¡±

    ¡°The fox showed me a poem.¡±

    ¡°Where do you think their souls are now?¡± She asked him as though to give him the answer.

    Illus lowered his head. ¡°The fox?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°So you are bound to the fox in what you can and can¡¯t say.¡±

    A pained half-smile crept up her cheek with no response.

    A sigh escaped his lungs and he sat down across from her. ¡°What can you say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing about anything important. I can only show what has been.¡± She rose. An etherealness took hold of her form in the moon¡¯s glow, like an aura of pale blue light emanating around her. She raised her thin hand and pointed to the sky.

    The stars above began to dance, taking on the outlines of a man, a woman, and a fox. The woman was distant, drifting off into the night as the man threw himself and leapt between stars, never catching her. Then, the fox twisted between the pearly dots, never touching them as it approached the grieving man. Silent words were exchanged, and the man pleaded to the fox, who placed a mask on his face. The fox flicked a star, which careened across the blackness into the back of the woman¡¯s head. She turned, seeing the man in the mask, curiosity drawing her closer.

    She drifted to him and pulled the mask free to see his face. Suddenly their stars collided in an explosion of rainbow sparks. They slowly reappeared, but the man¡¯s stars were no longer twinkling, a dull blue they had become. For all the colors which returned to the woman, his swirled through the sky behind the moon, where the fox was watching, hidden. Into its mouth the colors flew and the fox doubled in size. The man and woman¡¯s stars joined together, creating the outlines of children in bright, twinkling azure stars.

    Then the fox crept forward from his place behind the moon, a sly grin on its face. It presented a brilliantly shining sun, and in exchange the father gave one of his daughters to the fox. The fox placed the mask on that young woman¡¯s face and gave the father the orb.

    The sky flared indigo as a comet appeared. The father held the orb upward. A bolt of light shot from the comet to the orb, and suddenly the sky was a swirling paradise, outlines of a grand temple, the father crowned above his people.

    Meanwhile below, his daughter raced through darkness, bouncing between stars until caught by a man and unmasked. Her twinkles, like her father, dissipated into the fox, who grew yet again. And she? Dull, lifeless blue dots pulled along by the one who took her mask.

    The stars were yet unfinished with their story, though. The mother witnessed her daughter being pulled along. She witnessed her husband exchange another of their children for an endless wealth of glittering gold. So she took her youngest and ran away into the night, but the fox followed.

    It showed the colorful twinkles of her husband and daughter, screaming in a twisting vat of darkness, a void in the deep night sky. It held the void over them, then a hand to the child.

    The mother fell to her knees and let go of her youngest son, who the fox pulled away, then placed the mask in his hands. The edges of the fox¡¯s belly sparkled with light, which the twinkles of the young boy¡¯s father and sister reached for desperately. Only when the boy put on the mask was his desperate family engulfed in light. The boy meagerly stepped forward to a girl, who unmasked him. With his twinkles, so too did his mother¡¯s tear fall, for the fox was fed and would be forever.

    The mother wept, then leapt to the Earth, where her stars scattered into sparkles and melded into the soil. As her stars scattered, her husband upon the throne grasped his head and fluttered away as blue flecks in the wind.

    All the stars above returned to their places, and Illus¡¯s eyes fell to Ciun, the lone masked woman.

    Illus¡¯s gaze fell to the ground. ¡°And the mask will keep you alive until you are unmasked?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, but he saw a single tear fall down her cheek as she turned to face the moon.

    ¡°What was that orb the fox had that the comet-¡± Illus paused. ¡°The comet stone? One of the poems spoke of it.¡±

    Again, silence from Ciun.

    Illus walked toward the chair, leaned down to pick up the journal and the ring, then righted himself. ¡°Wishes granted by the comet stone. Does it-¡±

    His eyes were fixated on the woman in front of him, her back to him, within arm¡¯s reach. The edge of the mask¡¯s eye was turned to him, but she was so close.

    She said nothing.

    ¡°It- it¡­¡± his eyes became fixated on her, noticing the tiny trembles she made with every move of his. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    Illus slowly walked around the seat, making a wide arc until he was in front of her, a safe distance for her. ¡°Is the fox near? Can you tell?¡±

    ¡°The top of this mountain is my domain. The only respite from the fox.¡±

    ¡°Domain?¡± Illus¡¯s eyes returned to the page. ¡°Fox offers domain to he who¡¯s known, wishes granted by the comet stone. So the fox has the comet stone, which can grant wishes?¡±

    Ciun said nothing, pursing her lips.

    Illus clenched his face and slapped his cheeks. ¡°Okay, can the comet stone grant wishes?¡±

    ¡°The comet stone may grant a benevolent desire most true when the comet passes overhead in the dry season. Think not a wish, but a desire, a dream.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡± He flipped through the pages again. ¡°Do you know where the comet stone is?¡±

    ¡°I cannot access the comet stone.¡±

    Illus rubbed his chin. ¡°I presume the fox also has a domain, one with the same rules?¡±

    She said nothing, then, just as Illus was about to speak, she held out her hand to stop him. ¡°The rules of the prison are unilateral, but each of us, our own restrictions.¡±

    He looked to the ground. ¡°Wait, but if the fox is a god, or¡­ what is the fox?¡±

    Illus skimmed through the poems again, but struggled to find anything else. ¡°Is the comet stone of the fox¡¯s magic, or does it simply house the comet stone?¡±

    Ciun sighed and sat down. ¡°Illus, I don¡¯t even have the answers to some of your questions, but becoming engrossed in this game¡­ it¡¯s why the others died. The fox always wins.¡±

    ¡°The fox will not give me a choice in that matter, Ciun. That, I realize, so I¡¯ve been studying up on those poems. In the first one,¡± he flipped through the journal, ¡°fifth couplet, ¡®Words, spoken are secrets in cipher, Grief, known to none other than her.¡¯ That¡¯s talking about how you can¡¯t say much about the nature of the fox or these ruins. The burden it is. Ninth couplet. ¡®Love may guide thee further toward fates, Of truly wise mind has nothing he hates.¡¯ The fox feeds on emotions, and hate is a strong one. Love, on the other hand, cherishes what is.¡±

    Ciun rose from her seat, still saying nothing, but her mouth hung ajar slightly.

    ¡°The second poem, the lie, I assume is contradictory to the author¡¯s actual thoughts, perhaps to investigate the fox, and speaks of you quite negatively. Nevertheless, it blatantly told me you would lose your soul, and the fox was happy to indulge that thought. Then this final one gave me the last confirmation I needed that these poems were written in your favor.¡±

    He quickly drew in the journal and tossed it to Ciun. In each poem, the first words were circled the whole way down.

    Ciun held the journal blankly.

    ¡°Have you read them?¡± Illus side-eyed her.

    ¡°I cannot read your script. Only speak.¡±

    ¡°The mask?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, just tossed the journal back to him.

    ¡°¡®A land ye traverse whose history hidden by words, grief, to reward he who cherishes the love of Ciun. It¡¯s missing the final word, but the message conveys enough.¡¯ And then ¡®In her lies a truth the fox wishes to conceal, a woman burdened with a curse, her mask, her chains.¡¯ Finally, ¡®Follow Ciun.¡¯¡±

    She turned away from Illus as he snapped the journal shut.

    ¡°I thought the first one was a coincidence, and the second I was unsure. But the third, well, it¡¯s a bit obvious. Not well hidden, but the fox follows a verse. The first words are aligned, unversed in a way the fox wouldn¡¯t dare read.¡± Illus turned back to the edge of the mountain. ¡°I¡¯ve been scouring the ruins for more poems, but it¡¯s been largely a failure. Do you know where any others are?¡±

    She said nothing.

    ¡°Ciun? Can you not speak of them?¡±

    Again, she said nothing, but her jaw shook.

    ¡°Can you point in a direction? Tilt your head? Something?¡±

    Her words were laced with venom. ¡°You know who wrote them, but you haven¡¯t the slightest idea who he was.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I do not know what Carmonia did, but I think he saw the truth of the matter, even if the fox had twisted his mind. I spent a long time studying him. He had a brilliant mind despite a lot of the things he did. If anyone¡¯s unraveled this game, or left clues on it, it may have been him.¡±

    She froze in place, then took a deep breath. ¡°Carmonia was a depraved man, Illus. What he put me through is proof enough that this is all a filthy trap. He was practically bedding with the fox.¡±

    Illus took a step forward. ¡°I am truly sorry for whatever he put you through, but at this point, I can¡¯t care about what he did. I need to learn all I can if I am going to survive the fox. Are there any more poems?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°They have to be a trick,¡± her voice deepened, hatred seething in, so full of disbelief. ¡°Carmonia was a raving lunatic, he would never-¡±

    ¡°That matters nothing to me! Ciun, I-¡± Illus walked up to her, close enough to touch.

    She whirled around, pushing off of him in a fright and landing near the edge.

    He stumbled backward, holding his hands up by his shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to frighten you Ciun, but you and the fox, your powers are manipulation and deception no matter the intention. Carmonia knew that. What if he deceived the fox and you intentionally, so you would hate him and the fox would have no doubts that he would turn? What if these messages are all his broken mind could muster because he couldn¡¯t do whatever it is he needed to do himself? He was nothing if not vainly curious, so I have no doubt he would sell himself away to learn the truth.¡±

    Her head hung low, clenching her hand in front of her chest.

    ¡°There are three places in these ruins I have not scoured yet. The catacombs, the fox¡¯s domain, and wherever you reside. I fear that I will end up in all three of those places if¡­ when the fox breaks me. I don¡¯t want to become another Carmonia.¡± He clenched his fists, trying to hold back his frustration. ¡°Are you hiding it from me? I don¡¯t need to see it, Ciun. Take some paper, the pencil, copy the poem for me if that pleases you. Unless you fear what it says because you can read it, and you¡¯ve been lying to me.¡±

    She said nothing.

    Illus bit his upper lip, trying to hold back his quickly rising temper. His voice became something of a growl. ¡°I think I see the picture now. This is why you¡¯ve been here thousands of years, isn¡¯t it? Is this how it went with all the other explorers, people who came by? Just as they begin to figure it out, when they need your help, you refuse? For what?!¡±

    Desperation overtook him. ¡°Witch, sorceress, woman, Ciun, Enae, whatever you truly are beneath that mask¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. The fox gains an edge whether I am with you or away from you. You know as well as I do why it stranded me here and not any others.¡±

    The mask turned to him, wordless.

    Illus walked away, facing out toward the lake where Ciun could not see his face. Flipping open the notebook, he stared at the first page and breathed. Seeing Anilee reminded him of a happier time, when he was simply reading and sharing snacks, drinking tea and tossing theories back and forth. He smiled at the sketch of Anilee¡¯s face, then ripped it out and tossed it off the cliff. His eyes welled up against his will.

    ¡°I¡¯m a heartbroken man whose desires are easy for the fox to manipulate. Emotionally sporadic and wounded. If I remain away from you, the fox will drive me mad with desire, as it has been doing. If I stay close to you, the fox is also at the upper hand because it will play on whatever relationship forms until I am close enough that it catches me off guard in a lucky moment. Lies and manipulation from the fox. Half-truths and silence from you. I¡¯m in a game that demands I play, where I¡¯ll never know the true nature of either side, but I have to pick one if I want to live, to keep myself. One promises everything I could ever want, the other only pushes me away. What should I do, Ciun?¡±

    Ciun sighed, a remorseful frown creeping down her cheeks. ¡°Who do you think you should trust?¡±

    He turned back to her. ¡°I already trust you, Ciun.¡±

    She backed away slightly.

    He stepped closer. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to put yourself in danger. I¡¯m asking you to trust me a little in return. Not Carmonia. Not the fox. Me. If I read Carmonia¡¯s poems and they seem to be a trap, I¡¯ll call it there. My gut says Carmonia has answers, and I need answers if I¡¯m going to make it out of here alive. You trusting me is my only chance of surviving this place.¡±

    Ciun hunched down, ready to leap away.

    Illus turned away and took her seat, a somber smile as his white tied-back hair waved in the moonlight. ¡°Leap and run if you so choose. The fox said that without the mask, you would become¡­ uh, I forget his blabbery words, but it sounded like you have no agency over anything. Like a walking corpse, a mindless body. That may sound like a thrilling reward to treasure seekers who come through here, but that¡¯s how Ani treated me, and I simply hated it.¡± He chuckled.

    Ciun tilted her head as if confused or caught off guard.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see how anyone could enjoy the thought of dragging you around like a puppet. I¡¯ve realized that I quite enjoy your company as you are. Then again, sometimes talking to you is like trying to break a brick wall with my skull.¡±

    The mask¡¯s eyes locked on him. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    He laughed, softening. ¡°That¡¯s what I mean. There¡¯s an icy chill behind the cool eyes of that mask that I quite enjoy. The fox wants to play on me being a heartbroken fool, but bodies wither. Love doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s why I think Carmonia is on my side, because he hinted at it. The fox can¡¯t make me change what I hold with unfaltering resolve. And no matter the allure of your unnatural blues and natural beauty, I¡¯d much rather know you for you, because that¡¯s the only part of you that will last forever.¡±

    Ciun¡¯s eyes locked on the man in the moonlight. His exhausted yet pleasant expression, scraggly ivory hair with shiny lavender streaks, gray eyes that shimmered like silver, and confident demeanor.

    ¡°You¡¯re full of it,¡± she blurted out.

    He snickered. ¡°This isn¡¯t really a confession as much as an observation, but I presume the fox will toy with my emotions until I love or hate you one way or the other. But the fox has no grasp of love. I¡¯m unsure if I do either. The fox is much more accustomed to hate, which is what I would prefer to avoid. What I know is that if I do end up loving you, I want to do it in a way that the fox cannot touch. In a way that¡¯s honest. How can the fox manipulate my love if it doesn¡¯t even understand love?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thousands of years old and I still don¡¯t understand it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of my point. Love is a million different things! To every relationship is a unique flavor, a variation thereof. Romantic, familial, platonic, I could probably name plenty more with a dictionary on hand. But it¡¯s shown in countless ways. A caress, an affirmation, even a condemnation! Self or other. So long as there is good intent, something may be derived from love, if it is true to the heart. The fox thinks it is delusion and appearance, but I warrant love is the very opposite of that.¡±

    Ciun turned away. ¡°And it is leaving, letting go. Allowing yourself to move on. Honesty with yourself and all others.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. It¡¯s not a rational thing to be understood, it¡¯s a feeling, a sense, an agreement. How can the fox outmaneuver us if we¡¯re operating in our own language of sorts?¡±

    ¡°I want- I want to believe you more than anything, Illus. Truly. But with the fox- I wish¡­¡± she paused, staring at her hands folded close to her chest, ¡°there¡¯s no vow, no plea in the world that can outmaneuver the fox.¡±

    Illus let his head hang, gaze locked on the ring in his palm. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be words, either, but I know what you mean. It can¡¯t hurt to try, though. I¡¯m not asking you to commit for life, a romantic relationship, or even a true friendship. There¡¯s still a life for me back home, one that may yet include Ani. But we need to be honest if we¡¯re- if I¡¯m going to make it out alive. I have no other choice.¡±

    Ciun stepped closer to Illus, still out of arm¡¯s reach, but she wasn¡¯t fidgeting or flinching. ¡°The fox twists the truth, Illus. No honesty in the world can overcome its machinations.¡±

    He nodded, ¡°But honesty builds trust, which no mirage can break. I¡¯m sure the fox has already prepared a million different visions to torture me all with Ani¡¯s visage. And my sister and Sator. Probably you as well. Maybe even myself. The wait is the cruelest part. This false sense of hope, security. But if my suffering means I may live, and maybe you¡¯ll be uncursed, then I¡¯m happy to endure.¡±

    ¡°Nothing good can come of it. Illus, I¡­¡± Her mouth shut as if against her will.

    ¡°Nothing good has to come to me if it¡¯s for the good of all else. But can you promise me one thing?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°When we finally break this curse from you, I would like to see what color your eyes are. I have a sneaking suspicion that I know.¡±

    An air of lightness took her voice. ¡°What color do you think they are?¡±

    He slowly pointed. ¡°I¡¯m going to go out on a limb and say blue. Seems to be the motif around here.¡±

    ¡°It is the fox¡¯s favorite color. And I think I may know what Anilee¡¯s favorite color is.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve only just figured it out?¡±

    ¡°I thought all the white was just a coincidence until I saw the ring.¡± She opened her hand. ¡°May I see it again?¡±

    Illus was about to walk up to hand it to her, but stopped and stayed seated. ¡°It was quite expensive, can you catch?¡±

    ¡°Can you throw?¡±

    He tossed it to Ciun, who swiped it from the air. She slowly stepped around Illus until her back was to the moon, and he was staring at her silhouette. Her hand held the ring high, the clear sapphire refracting the silvery glow in a little halo.

    ¡°Quite the stud. She has good taste.¡±

    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s nice. I think it¡¯s called a single-cut.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± She glanced back to the ring, ¡°I suppose the gemstone is nice too,¡± and tossed it.

    He froze in place, all the blood in his body rushing to his face, the ring landing perfectly in his chest pocket.

    She smirked at him. ¡°If you want to love me so honestly that you forget about the mask, you¡¯ll have to be able to handle a little banter.¡±

    ¡°Is it safe to do that with the fox around?¡±

    ¡°Probably not¡­¡± she muttered as her bare feet silently tiptoed along the edge, ¡°but I don¡¯t want to lie to you, either. Trust sounds nice, and I would be lying if I said I didn''t find you at least a little charming.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± he rolled his eyes at the ground. ¡°Charming enough to score a poem?¡±

    ¡°The fox would write you a better poem than me.¡±

    Illus sighed, some frustration creeping into his stare at Ciun.

    ¡°I know of two more. I can show you one now, and I will show you the other once I know the fox hasn¡¯t planted his seeds in your head.¡±

    He pushed up off his knees. ¡°Where is it?¡±

    She pointed over the east edge of the mountain, toward the crescent lake. Illus approached it, glancing down and around the peak, finding nothing.

    Suddenly, his stomach lurched again and he saw the world falling out from under him as he rose into the air. Ciun stood at the edge, pointing down.

    ¡°It¡¯s on the shoreline, under a crag in the mountain. This side of the mountain can only be accessed by climbing down from here, but you¡¯ll land safely.¡± A smirk crawled up along the mask.

    Illus soared farther than he noticed, the lake below reflecting the sky above him. Wind rushed around his ears in his slow descent toward the water.

    ¡°The water is quite nice this time of year!¡± She giggled and waved him away.

    ¡°Ciun! I-¡± Panic set in as she disappeared from his sight. ¡°I can¡¯t swim!¡±

    No trees in reach and nothing to help him slow his gentle fall, he flew further from the shoreline every second.

    Then another tap hit his back and he craned his head to find the source. Ciun was upside down above him, then gone the next second. He flipped tail over teakettle toward the sandy beach, landing flat on his back, head toward the water. His weight returned to him upon touching the ground, and his eyes caught something out on the water.

    The world was upside down from where he was, but he was completely transfixed on the woman on the water, leaping and bounding effortlessly off of the gentle waves. All on her tiptoes. The moon and stars shimmered beneath her feet as she slowly bounced to the shore, little ripples spreading across the sky with every step.

    Illus rolled over, completely enraptured in the ethereal sight. ¡°That looks so fun,¡± was the only thought that came to mind and escaped his mouth.

    She snickered, caught off guard by his childish smile. ¡°Do you want to put on the mask?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite the tempting offer if you ignore the numerous downsides. Call it, right now. Consequences aside, that mask has to be at least a little fun.¡±

    The mask stared solemnly at him. Ciun was the opposite story. ¡°I won¡¯t-¡± quick, little laughs broke from her mouth like supremely loud giggles, ¡°I won¡¯t say it¡¯s an entirely miserable curse.¡±

    Illus noticed an odd humor about her, reacting so strongly to little things, and then a more sobering thought crossed his mind. She didn¡¯t seem like she laughed very often, and this was likely the most socialization she had seen in hundreds of years.

    ¡°You should¡­¡± Illus carefully picked his words, slowly constructing his sentence as he spoke, ¡°let me have that bouncy- jumping- lightness magic¡­ for even just a few minutes.¡±

    She snorted, immediately standing upright and covering her mouth.

    Illus fought a tough battle against laughing at her, ¡°Not for long, just to¡­ oh¡­ you know¡­ jump around.¡±

    She showed a pity smile, all she had for him. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Ciun, I promise it has nothing to do with taking that mask¡­¡± he looked away, ¡°and it¡¯s a little childish, but¡­ perhaps¡­¡± he thought up some sugar coating for this proposal. ¡°Perhaps using the mask''s magic will assist me in understanding the poems, the magic, and undoing this curse?¡± He shrugged and smiled, raising his eyebrows at her as innocently as possible.

    She said nothing, covering her mouth so as to not burst out laughing again.

    He folded his hands in prayer and held that innocent facade at her. ¡°Oh, eternally wise and beautiful sorceress of the ruins, might a humble and honest man as myself have but a crumb of magic for a few minutes of fun?¡±

    She made a pyramid with her hands and set the peak against her lips, deep in thought, then pointed them at him. ¡°After you figure out this next poem.¡±

    He pumped his arm back, a bright smile taking his face and a playfully stern way about his tone. ¡°Then what are you doing dawdling here for, Ciun? Show me! We¡¯re wasting precious moonlight!¡± Illus promptly turned around and set off toward the mountain, searching for outcroppings near the ground. The next poem was close to the ground, beneath a lip in the rock behind a tuft of trees.

    Ciun walked up behind him with a blue flame in her hand as he read it.

    Illus grimaced at the wall.

    ¡°What does it say?¡± She asked.

    ¡°It says you have to give me bouncy magic so I can read it.¡±

    She stared at him. Silence.

    ¡°It¡¯s all scrambled. It¡¯ll be a while.¡± He lightly groaned, took out his journal, and began copying it down.

    n:iCu

    eTh

    liKl

    dunof, ewher opT

    dworenc, ensto sTi

    dougnr. on th¡¯Nae

    lkil, aym nCui

    ltrilh, het sI

    lilw. swokn xFo

    hrbtea ehr eRsi

    hleastt, m¡¯stis Fro

    heatd. mfor wonD

    xF:o

    oT

    semiPro

    krad mrof Seont

    kar rhe ehrWe

    khra. hes eMaz

    eon, ton sturT

    nush, I eHr

    edon. lit eLif

    od I eLi

    hwo, kown uYo

    hrotguh. lal Tsurt

    Once Illus finished copying the poems, he ascended the narrow path up the back of the mountain, rising with the sun. For the rest of the day, he toiled away at unscrambling the poem so he could later decipher it.

 Cherishes these lands and all around,

    Slivers of sunlight crept into the shed through the chimney cap, the long awaited day finally arrived. Illus rose, his back popping the whole way up from that barely-padded marble bench. He tossed his pack over his shoulder and stepped out into the full light of day, the ruins in their usual quiet tranquility.

    A year it had been of monotonous fishing, eating pears, climbing the mountain, and waiting. Waiting for this very day. Distant voices quickened his pace toward the roses, which parted at Illus¡¯s kind request. The first thing he saw were the dark eyes of Anilee as they filled with tears, which rushed down her freckled cheeks. She raced to him, and wrapped him in a hug.

    ¡°Ani- what-¡± Illus was caught in confusion, happy confusion, but something wasn¡¯t making sense.

    Anilee¡¯s gleeful eyes cured his confusion. She gently wrapped her hands around his. ¡°For all I¡¯ve done, for everything I¡¯ve caused¡­¡± her tears crashed free like the rivers around the ruins, ¡°all I ever wanted to be was your betrothed. I just want you, so let us go and start anew.¡±

    Anilee took his hand and walked with him down the hill toward the dried river.

    ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡± Ciun¡¯s voice cut through the shimmering hazy world before Illus, his feet at the edge of a cliff where the rocky dried riverbed would surely be his death. What he could see of her expression was heartbroken, impossibly betrayed. ¡°If you so desire her still, then cast yourself into the rocks. I don¡¯t want to see your face anymore. Go on. Our love will never be like before.¡±

    Illus¡¯s mind crashed full of memories. Memories of him and Ciun intimately sharing their days atop the mountain, between the rows of the orchards, in the shed on every rainy day. Grief took hold of him, an overwhelming guilt which tore through him, calcifying his heart in an empty senseless void. His foot stepped forward as his empty expression leaned forward.

    ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡±

    The cliff before him shimmered, blue haze clearing into rushing water. Illus was up to his knees in the rapids, about to step to a point which would surely sweep him away.

    The hollow suffering he had just experienced quickly faded, confusion overtaking his mind. He stumbled backward and fell, hands trembling, breath lost, eyes unable to focus, mind aching.

    In his stupor, he found Ciun over his shoulder, far back atop a pillar, not stepping beyond the maze of roses. The mask interrogated his lost eyes, but her chin was trembling, like the sight pained her.

    His head fell into his hands while he caught his breath and Ciun¡¯s voice wafted over him. ¡°That dastardly fox keeps getting you with this one. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be faster.¡±

    For nearly two months, this had been how every sunny morning started. Several times she found him at the entrance of the catacombs. A few times about to leap from the mountain¡¯s lower ledge where the poem had washed away. But most of the time, the fox lured him close to the river, rarely this deep in before Ciun reached him.

    Illus nodded slowly, his exhausted, strained mind feeling none of the sleep he had gotten. ¡°I saw Ani again. Then the vision broke inside another mirage where you told me to leap to my death.¡±

    Ciun leapt from the column, landing near Illus, the center part of the nightgown askew, showing far more of her chest than usual. Her breath became heavier. ¡°I would never tell you to die for me, Illus, so¡­¡± her hands caressed the soft, shiny nightgown on her thigh, ¡°I want to make it up to you, if it¡¯s not too big a fuss.¡±

    Illus¡¯s mind was reeling, the change not making sense at all. Why would she come onto him so quickly, so suddenly? His heart raced, a strong urge to step forward and take her hand.

    But he toppled backward, his voice incredibly hoarse. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s you, Ciun.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She turned away, peeking over her shoulder at him, fingers combing through her long hair. Her soft voice broke. ¡°I¡¯m me, aren¡¯t I? What¡¯s there to doubt?¡±

    Sultry sensations, unclean urges thrust their way through Illus¡¯s reeling head. Her lithe body, silky hair, soft lips. An idea forced its way forward, begging him to tear away her mask and-

    ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡± Ciun cried out, a hint of desperation behind her growl

    The world shimmered with a cackle and Illus¡¯s spinning head caught up to him. He keeled over onto all fours, retching up vomit while Ciun kept watch for the fox. Twice more he heard her banish. Twice more, his head spun with the shimmering world. Slowly, he crawled up the hill with stops to regurgitate all the water and food he had left in him.

    With glassy eyes, clammy skin, and a broken daze about him, Illus rose and slogged through the rose wall, as he did most mornings.

    Throughout every moment of the day, this was how he lived. His supply of food constantly strained, and water scarcely in him for as long as the sun was up. His ability to spot mirages became more acute throughout the day, but it was always the immediate after waking that crushed his spirits. He spent a lot of time on the mountain during daytime, and while that kept him sane, it also prevented him from fishing, gathering supplies, and nourishing himself. Ciun made up for it by bringing him food, but getting him enough became an issue. Even when Ciun was with Illus, the visions, planted memories, false feelings, sensations, all of them would still break in and attack without Ciun noticing.

    Or, as he often wondered, was it Ciun doing it to test him? Was she the maker of the visions? He had no way of knowing she was near, and she would always be there when they broke. But they never happened atop the mountain, where the fox could not reach. That had been his only assurance that he could trust her.

    Ciun had been giving him herbal teas to help, but they did little to ease the strain on his head and body. His core never got a break, and his throat always burned. His whole body was constantly sore from heaving. Talking tore. Eating ached. Drinking distressed. Moving marred. Thinking throbbed.

    His progress on deciphering the poem hit a sharp halt. Unscrambled, but no sense to be made of. This sunny day, Ciun quietly followed him as he collected food and water, banishing the fox several more times, several more times Illus fell to rise a little weaker.

    The thought of entertaining the fox¡¯s ideas floated through Illus¡¯s empty head. His shirt had become quite loose. His gaunt face stared back at him in the reflection of the water, dry lips, baggy eyes, stubble and hair uncared for. All of that could be remedied if he even pretended to believe the fox, if he left Ciun¡¯s side, if he pushed her away.

    Those thoughts were the very reason he kept his distance from Ciun. He knew the fox was ready in the brush for her to get close enough that a quick mirage would shatter all the work he had put into disciplining his mind.

    Spotting the false realities was as simple as the deviation from normal. He was usually quick to discern mirages of people from home, or instances of the fox luring Illus with Ciun¡¯s image. But the fox created rolling storms that slowly grew overhead, darkening the sky while Illus went about his business, falsifying his safety. Then would come the simple oddities, like a little extra skin from Ciun, a scare of rocks tumbling toward him, or a poisonous water snake creeping up on his fishing spot. With little bouts of stronger emotions, he was the fool to nearly all of them, but never once had he tried to take Ciun¡¯s mask. Illus only ever found himself in harm¡¯s way, another reason for his growing doubt in her honesty.

    She silently walked behind him up the mountain, to safety from the jarring visions and reeling emotions. Ciun had been assisting his fishing by luring fish to his hook with visions, but it only served to prolong his deterioration. The climb up the mountain strained him more every time he did it. Gasping for breath, desperate for food, he made little conversation with her most of the time. Often, he slept near the peak of the mountain while she disappeared elsewhere, but today he pulled out the poems in an attempt to make some reason of them.

    Ciun:

    The

    Kill

    Top where found,

    Tis stone crowned,

    ¡®Neath no ground.

    Ciun may kill

    Is the thrill,

    Fox knows will.

    Rise her breath

    For mist¡¯s stealth,

    Down from death.

    Fox:

    To

    Promise

    Stone from dark

    Where her ark

    Maze she hark.

    Trust not one

    Her I shun

    Life til done.

    Lie I do

    You know who,

    Trust all through.

    The short triplets, in saying less, said so much more about how far gone Carmonia was. Reading them like the other poems only created more contradictions and confusion. Ciun: The Kill and Fox: To Promise had become unending frustration for Illus, and Ciun was no help, unable to read them. Her only input came from Illus reading them to her, and then saying nothing because she could not speak about the nature of nearly anything having to do with her or the fox.

    Illus lingered on the final triplet, venom in his raspy voice. ¡°Lie I do, You know who, Trust all through. Of course you lie, Carmonia, you¡¯re a mad bloke without any sense of reason.¡±

    Ciun¡¯s gentle words seemed to float on the wind, melding with the soft whirr around the mountaintop. ¡°I told no lie, Illus. I doubt Carmonia has anything more to offer.¡±

    ¡°No, he does.¡± Illus rapidly tapped his pencil on the journal. ¡°There''s a sense to be made of his madness. I see it, but I can¡¯t find it.¡±

    She stepped around in front of him. ¡°Illus, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re mad, but madness only breeds more madness the further you look.¡±

    Illus shot up and Ciun leapt back. He paused and held his head down, scratching his neck, then walked to the other side of the peak. ¡°He¡¯s speaking of these things and places, leaving hints, but it feels like all the words are jumbled, out of place. Maybe I put it back together incorrectly, but what other order can the lines be put in?! What-¡±

    A vision of Ciun appeared before him, pausing his rambling. Her hands gently rested on his arms, her mouth trembling as she spoke. ¡°Illus, please, rest. Your mind is not well.¡±

    He knew it was a vision, and despite the wave of calmness, the fact that it was a vision infuriated him. Through the arm he walked, heat rose in his chest as it shimmered into blue haze.

    ¡°Enough of these falsehoods!¡± His furious eyes locked on Ciun, who cautiously stood at the other side of the mountain. Tears broke from his eyes as he lost control of himself. ¡°What reason exists in your mind that you think I¡¯m happy to have you forcing my head every which way?! Why, after everything the fox does to me, do you think I want you toying with my head too?!¡±

    She clenched her hands in front of her, voice solemn. ¡°It¡¯s the only way I can.¡±

    ¡°Is it?!¡± He threw his arms out, his voice cracking and creaking. ¡°Can you not just leave me to my peace for a moment¡¯s respite?! Can I not be afflicted by you and the fox¡¯s lies at every which way?!¡±

    ¡°I do it to help you, Illus.¡±

    ¡°Do you?!¡± His feet took him forward toward Ciun, stopping three strides away. ¡°Or do you do it because you think I¡¯ll break?! Because you¡¯re bloody terrified of me?! Is that it?!¡±

    She had one foot out, ready to leap backward off the ledge. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±

    ¡°Another lie.¡± Illus¡¯s voice shattered, falling to monotony. ¡°I know you¡¯re afraid, Ciun. I am too, probably far more than you.¡±

    Illus fell backward, limply laying on the ground. ¡°There I go again, falling into the fox¡¯s rhythm.¡±

    Then a thought occurred to him, and he fell into a fit of giggling.

    Ciun¡¯s head fell. ¡°Illus, please¡­¡±

    ¡°Right you are, Ciun, as right as the stars are to the moon.¡± He sat up, a smile growing wider across his cheeks. ¡°And sure as I am to hate or love, I must take a leap from above. The fox has shown me the path, all I need to do is the math.¡±

    Ciun slowly stepped away, voice breaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I gave you hope.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no!¡± Glee held his voice. Illus¡¯s toothy smile sprawled across his gaunt face, wrinkly eye sockets stretching his eyes wide. ¡°Tis so! The fox¡¯s maniacal verse, the key to my curse.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going, Illus?¡±

    He took off in a fit of cackling, ¡°Insane!¡±

    Seeing him in that mad sprint down the mountain, bounding legs and that awful grin, her spine shivered like she¡¯d just seen a death. She stepped toward the ledge and unclenched her fist, then retreated, droplets of blood and tears dotting the ground next to her empty space.

    Stumbling in a tear down the mountain, Illus rushed to the cave where Ciun could not hear. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Where are you, fox?! I know you wish for talks!¡±

    The blue and black head of the fox poked out of the catacomb¡¯s darkness. ¡°A change of heart? I knew you were smart!¡± It dashed to Illus, rubbing against his legs and hopping happily in front of him.

    ¡°The poems, they know your rhythm, but why such an algorithm? Why not speak as we know and talk as we say so? I feel I am on the cusp of knowing, but her lies keep my thoughts from flowing.¡±

    Pity took the fox¡¯s face. ¡°Oh this blasted verse, all her insanity¡¯s curse. But I see in such madness a gift, all it requires is a small mental shift. Think as one who sees ¡®tween beginnings and ends, one-handed each, each their hand lends. Every stone begets a pebble, every kingdom will see a rebel. Every ceiling in time builds walls, and that wall, in time, it falls. If you wish to retain your youth, accept that there is no truth. What her truth is, differs from his. Nothing is sure, your mind is impure. You have only lived a score, but I have seen all the more. My verse will teach you right, so let me be your sight. Release your will, make your mind still.¡±

    The fox cackled, its gaze locking with Illus¡¯s agape eyes. He breathed deeply, slowly, his mind finally connecting the dots. ¡°Even the most elusive witch will her bones be cast to the ditch.¡±

    The fox shook its head. ¡°What you see is ¡®neath her knee. Her vessel all faux, her spirit will go. Bound to me, in immortality. The mask is her power, a boon stolen for her cower. Not of her make, so you must take. Her strength stripped away, then I¡¯m free to the day.¡±

    ¡°I am terribly sorry, my foxy friend,¡± Illus hung his head down, ¡°for not trusting you at first day¡¯s end. I see her schemes, her wicked themes. She speaks in lies and accuses you so much, but all good she claims is yours such.¡±

    The fox jumped up and down in place, pride overtaking him. ¡°I feared the sorceress would steal this war, but in came a white knight with such valor! You know not her goals, but she will pay our tolls.¡±

    Droplets of foam fell from the fervent corners of Illus¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve seen her strengths and all she does, I¡¯ll take her mask softer than a bee¡¯s buzz!¡±

    The fox lowered his gaze. ¡°Stay away from her grip, lest your sanity slip. She desires an empty-minded clot, to do all that she cannot. And should you think you¡¯ve seen her hand, know winners do not show until all bets are land.¡±

    ¡°She has more to her?¡± Illus waited for the fox to answer, but the fox carefully eyed Illus, as if trying to discern something, waiting to pounce.

    ¡°She will keep you from my aid, then stick you with her blade, my visage the carrier, her goal the barrier.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was all such a blur. Now I am enlightened, if not a little frightened.¡±

    The fox smiled greedily as Illus finished his rhyme. ¡°So what shall become of Illus, is her end worth the fuss?¡±

    Illus shook his head. ¡°At the moment I say no, there is more strife in her I¡¯ll sew. But I wonder of you during all my climbs, what do you think of Carmonia¡¯s rhymes?¡±

    A serrated, toothy smile stretched the fox¡¯s cheeks beyond what any fox should be able to smile, its eyes wide and hungry like no animal Illus had ever seen. ¡°Oh, I yearn for ointment from all his disappointment. Such blatant, boring truth, and riddles all uncouth. Of course Ciun is a wretch, no need to make it a wall sketch.¡±

    Illus stepped out of the cave, so he was out in open air. ¡°Fox, you can read?¡±

    ¡°That I cannot.¡±

    ¡°Then how do you heed?¡±

    The fox bared its teeth, a short burst of growls toward Illus. ¡°What is this haught?¡±

    ¡°Is there something you spot?¡±

    It¡¯s growl broke to a wrathful smile. ¡°A fly I must swat.¡±

    ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡± Ciun¡¯s voice rang out through the cave and Illus watched the fox¡¯s furious face fall away.

    Illus gazed up at Ciun who muttered something beneath her breath, then looked back to the fox, who warned Illus. ¡°She manipulates, a plot!¡±

    The fox bounded forward to Illus¡¯s side. ¡°Run, your survival is not shot!¡±

    ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡± The fox dissipated into a burst of blue haze, and the world shimmered around Illus.

    Atop the entrance to the cave, Ciun whispered something yet again and cast her hand toward Illus.

    He took off in a sprint, reality becoming false floors and strange shifts in the shimmering terrain around him. If he could make it back to the shed, he would at least have a shot of surviving, but the world around him became violent, horrifying.

    The gully walls were skeletons dressed in Anilee, Sator, and Tyza¡¯s clothes. Their shrieks screamed out, begging him for help, to save them from the fox. Twelve of the fox appeared around Illus, circling like a pack of wolves, each lunging to throw him off of his feet.

    ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡± The false world shattered, shimmering to nothing as Illus fell to the ground, sweat adorning his spinning head, but he held strong.

    After a few moments, he turned to Ciun, atop the bridge watching him.

    He simply laughed. ¡°You think you¡¯ve won, have you?! Oh, how I will bloody stain all your blue!¡±

    Ciun said nothing in response, instead turning around and disappearing into the treeline, like a final goodbye, a final save from the fox.

    And yet Illus continued laughing on his whole walk back to the shed. Not a mind paid to the cries of ¡°I banish thee, fox¡± from every which way and cries for help outside the shed. Not anything else existed, as his mind fell transfixed on those poems, the fox¡¯s rhyme. In a dismal cackling spiral, clarity engulfed Illus.

    <hr>

    Streams crashed down their respective valleys, where at the chin they met.

    Transfixed on the words of a raging madman, Illus¡¯s mind began to rot.

    From a dismal day of rain, here nor there he perceived not a threat.

    But the words made as much sense as jangling keys, or so he thought.

    No cries of the fox begone, only the silence of pattering rain.

    Out into the dredge he took, chills of warm water caressing his face.

    He couldn¡¯t control how his body shook, how the shivers seemed to resonate pain.

    Answers had become like a well undrawn, too deep and no bucket or vase.

    Where had Ani gone when she promised so much, without a word of goodbye?

    Illus had no place to belong if not with her, where in the shed she was a day before.

    Why with the rain did such grief occur? Why did his friends go when there was no sky?

    Why did Illus feel so out of touch, his eyes breaking and his chest tightly sore?

    Fishing and cooking was always such fun, his best friend Sator always by his side,

    And on walks with Tyza he could confide, with Ani he would lay in the sun.

    His old friend from home hopped around on one, lost it to the war, Clyde,

    That funny bloke who was one-eyed, and knew how to tell a good pun.

    The sorceress had deemed Illus unfit, for his servitude was not sufficient.

    In his search for a reason to persevere, he found his friends begging for freedom.

    Ciun despaired when he did not revere, and his friends suffered when he was deficient.

    Her despair paled to Illus¡¯s festering wit, abhorring the omniscience atop her kingdom.

    But slowly the world began to make sense, since his perspective had been perfected.

    No longer was he subject to Ciun¡¯s constant gaze, but he knew well that she heard.

    He met the fox at the entrance to the maze, a grueling task for which he was selected.

    Every day the two plotted a pretense, for which Ciun¡¯s trust might be blurred.

    Words became as fleeting moments,

    Free of all longing and laments,

    Where love pervaded,

    Where pain faded.

    Bulging bones beneath his skin,

    Disappeared with a grin.

    Fits of vomiting and retching,

    Were all healed by him stretching.

    To stretch reality

    Simple as a body,

    Or so Sator said

    When Illus pled.

    Through night Illus slept

    With the fox at his side,

    For that close friend kept

    Him from Ciun¡¯s chide.

    Ciun the witch, the sorceress, the evil goddess.

    Her blue dress, that lich, that conniving snitch.

    She said to all ¡®round that Illus was a coward,

    A man she reviled for his attempts at theft,

    Yet no attempts were made for twas bereft,

    So now a plan to steal her mask he scoured.

    The mountain?

    She could kill.

    The rivers?

    Water¡¯s no thrill.

    Kill?

    Thrill?

    An intense jolt of pain scorched Illus¡¯s brain. Pressure behind his eyes as his sight was slain. The rhymes reminded him of Carmonia¡¯s carving. The grumble of his stomach reminded him he was starving. The shimmer of sunlight reminded him of the cackle. And suddenly Sator was by his side like a shackle.

    ¡°The winter passed without any strife.¡± Sator chuckled.

    To his feet Illus knuckled. ¡°I¡¯m only lucky to have my life. That cruel witch cuts my mind with her knife.¡±

    ¡°Her falsehoods are rife. There are no places to hide even with the fox. You can see her from the mountain she stalks.¡±

    Anilee grabbed Illus then. ¡°She wishes to do us all harm! Please stay close, Illus, my good luck charm.¡±

    Illus clutched his panging abdomen. ¡°I need food, Ani. I¡¯m running out of energy.¡±

    Ani¡¯s foot sank into the fen. ¡°Save me, please! She¡¯ll suffocate me with ease!¡±

    Illus fell to the ground, a visceral gagging sound.

    Day finally broke and Illus¡¯s mind was clear. His body was completely malnourished and exhausted, but he spotted that usual sliver of glowing sun peeking through the chimney cap. He rose from the painfully stiff bench where he had been sleeping for¡­ how many weeks? Months¡­ he had completely lost track. Last he knew, it was near the end of spring. About nine months since he arrived.

    The canopy beyond the fog had grown thick and lush. Eternal summer in the ruins was a pleasant survival experience, but it was growing tiresome to avoid the fox every which way.

    That fox always seemed to appear. Always ready with some kind of trap. The only place Illus could stay without struggle, the place Ciun didn¡¯t want to see him anymore- at the peak.

    But despite the fox¡¯s plan to use him and despite Ciun¡¯s wishes to control him, his mind finally made it back. His agency seemed to have returned out of nowhere, or perhaps because of something? He racked his memory, but it was completely deprived. It was as if his mind had been overgrown and obscured by brush.

    Illus sighed and pressed forward thinking that even if he had nothing to go off of, no memory preserved, he needed to seize this lucky day.

    And then a brush of soft fabric. As fearsome as the fox made her appear, Ciun¡¯s presence always brought him such a strange comfort. Something still wasn¡¯t making sense, though. Something that he couldn¡¯t place. His eyes met the mask, as they had many mornings before when Ciun had visited him. At least he remembered that.

    ¡°Illus, it¡¯s time to go. We need make haste or the fox is going to catch on.¡± She opened the door and beckoned him to follow, but he tarried.

    ¡°Wait, Ciun, what are you talking about?¡±

    She lightly clenched her fist. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to say this other than the fox has been tampering with your memories. I¡¯ve been here every day trying to bring you back, so please, just¡­¡± her voice carried desperation into Illus¡¯s ringing ears.

    Illus rose from his seat. His stomach rumbled and churned, still sick. Wrenching over in anguish, he tried and failed to cut his writhing short. Gazing at Ciun filled him with a sense of purpose, and though it may have been a mirage to dispel the pain, it was a welcome respite from the vertigo.

    Ciun took off and Illus kept pace. Following from afar, he kept his mind keen in the case of a stray whim. Past the mosaic and beneath the bridge, they stopped before the catacombs where Sator had been hurt at.

    ¡°Ciun, wait.¡± Illus¡¯s mind became consumed by the fear of being buried. ¡°Will we have time? Are you sure this is safe when I don¡¯t have enough oil to keep my lantern lit? Are you sure this is how break your curse?¡±

    ¡°Please, Illus.¡± She reached out like she wanted to pull him along, but her courage wasn¡¯t enough to grab his wrist. ¡°I thought I had your trust.¡±

    Illus¡¯s mind racked with uncertainty, indulging all of his fears. ¡°Will delving into darkness not open my mind to worse?¡±

    Unsure of it herself, she uncomfortably shifted her feet. ¡°We will be safe as long as we are quiet. If the fox can¡¯t find us, we¡¯re safe from its rhyme.¡±

    Thus they descended into the corridors of bone. Ciun ahead of Illus, she beckoned him forward with her voice. Popping like what she made by the riverside when she had nothing to say. Suffocating darkness enveloped Illus and his mind raced. What else was down here with them? Was this all a hallucination, a mirage?

    He glanced back, still able to see a faint speck of sunlight from the entrance. It seemed so small, so miniscule as his boots cracked bones and stirred up dust. The darkness was becoming unbearable, so he lit the lantern. Skulls watched like a silent crowd, waiting for Illus to become one, for Ciun to lead Illus into their grasp.

    ¡°Be careful, Illus, we can¡¯t have you knocking skulls with your wide gait. The more noise we make, the closer we are to joining them in the dust.¡±

    They traipsed on. Time seemed to halt in the darkness, and yet Illus continued following Ciun with his eye behind him on that little speck of sunlight. They had been traveling in a straight line, but Illus still suspected something was off. A brush of wind passed and the lantern¡¯s flame flickered.

    Ciun spoke in a grim tone. ¡°If the lantern dies and you lose me, follow the breeze. It will guide you out.¡±

    Illus glanced around, noticing that the walls and floor had become moist. The hollow eyes and rotted jaws seemed to smile in a distorted way. Illus¡¯s steps took on a frightened haste. Then the floor disappeared from beneath him and the lantern slipped from his thumb. With a splash of water the light died and Illus lost all courage.

    ¡°Oh, my precious pawn.¡± Ciun¡¯s usually soft and gentle voice became more like a sinister semblance. ¡°You picked the wrong mask to follow.¡±

    Illus stopped in place, wondering why he had chosen Ciun to trust. In what rational world would he follow in turn? But, he thought, if he could follow the light to the entrance, then survival would still be in his clasp.

    It was gone.

    Alone in the catacombs, darker than any night. All light cut off. Through the halls, bones snickered.

    The musty stench of mold and stone,

    Behind his hand rough grind of bone.

    Drops of water like the ¡°pops¡± she made,

    Brought him comfort in the dust he laid.

    Engorged in darkness and reverberating silence,

    He was completely cut off from sight¡¯s sense.

    Seeing no hand in front of his face,

    Nor a light to leave any trace.

    Shadows darker than pitch took to his eyes

    Whether open or closed, twas all in disguise.

    Was the fox near or was it simply his head

    Losing to a fear that he would join the dead?

    Through the corridors, hand on the wall,

    In a panic he sought to scream and call.

    He ran and he fell, he slept and he rose,

    The void said not if day flies or slows.

    Anilee¡¯s screams cried from the darkness

    But Illus did nothing, his spirit in distress.

    Tyza before him, a decaying carcass,

    Bile expelled straight out of Illus.

    Sator running through this catacomb,

    Weeping and screaming to be home.

    Illus fell to the ground, clutching his ears,

    His mind raced as he broke down in tears.

    How many times had he fallen to slumber?

    Why did every move seem to encumber?

    How many times had he called them?

    Ciun, the fox, whoever would save him.

    How long had it been?

    His body now so thin.

    Had he sat so long,

    That he couldn¡¯t move on?

    How long had his parched lips gone without water?

    How long had he been rocking in a terrified totter?

    How many times had he risen and dropped?

    How long until everything simply stopped?

 The keeper takes note of every sound.

    From atop the mountain, Ciun idly listened into the senseless babble of Illus¡¯s lost mind. He was alone in the shed with the poems, as he had been for the past two days. When day turned to night, the fox came to boast of his victory.

    He called up the mountain from the outcropping where once there had been a poem. ¡°There will be no more for you, sorceress. Your consort has been overcome by duress.¡±

    Nothing from Ciun in response.

    This roused the fox further. ¡°It may be rude of me to ask, but is there hopelessness behind your mask? Oh, what is another broken mind, of yet another man who pined? In words his wrath shines through, or maybe it¡¯s all a shattered spew.¡± The fox cackled low to itself.

    Again, Ciun had nothing to say.

    The fox was growing keener to her sullen disposition. ¡°Do not feign shame and guilt, when a crumbling tower was all you built. You have no room to show such grief, after every other life of whom twere the thief.¡±

    The mask turned toward the fox, still silent.

    It cackled, eyes not cheery, but beyond hateful. ¡°I know you see, it¡¯s not by me.¡±

    She rose to her feet.

    The fox grimaced at her. ¡°My honest face you may yet banish, but your evils shall never vanish. This prison is your condemnation. Hold that thought in your lonely contemplation.¡±

    A shimmering specter of Enae appeared where the fox stood, translucent azure cuffs chained to the mask on her face. ¡°Sister, I beg of you to be free. Did you ever care about me?¡±

    Ciun walked away, disappearing to where the fox could not see her. ¡°See me not, ears yet spot. Ears plugged and eye blind, you he will not find. Offer your mask here, you have none to fear. What power is worth the peace? Can this game not finally cease? Toiled have I so long, you think I will do you wrong. I am not the evil of this game, for you I cannot say the same.¡±

    The fox awaited a response, but nothing came.

    ¡°It¡¯s my honest hope you will leave him alone, your misled man whose truth you will never let be shown.¡± The fox released his specter of Illus babbling in the shed. ¡°How he longs to be saved, from the catacombs you braved.¡±

    The mask locked onto the fox and Ciun took off without a beat, disappearing from the fox¡¯s sight faster than it could track.

    The fox cackled and whispered on the wind to Ciun. ¡°Days have passed, only a miracle could last.¡±

    <hr>

    Dull white noise and dripping water surrounded Illus in his tomb.

    His mind had drifted, perhaps to comfort him, or perhaps because he was dying. But he wondered where he had gone? How he had gotten so lost? He wasn¡¯t sure when he lost sight of himself. Had he? Or had this been a grave misplay in his attempt?

    He found home in his mind, but nobody was there. Nobody was around. Nothing was there. It was just as dark and empty as the catacombs.

    And he finally escaped his trance, the delusions he had been enraptured in. He struggled to lift his arm, to knock bones from the shelves around him as his head spun.

    He tossed his arm around the floor weakly until eventually it hung in the air.

    ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± Illus¡¯s voice popped and croaked, barely audible, ¡°it feels like I¡¯m floating.¡±

    Weightless, sensation leaving his body, he seemed to levitate without reason. Cool metal scraped his chapped lips and water streamed down his parched throat.

    Soft silky fabric and hair pressed against him. Warmth. Another person. Was it death, or Ciun? A hallucination, or the fox? It didn¡¯t matter anymore. Yet still, all he knew was darkness.

    The shed was illuminated by a deep violet glow when his eyes opened. Heavy-headed and weary, a salty sweet smell crept into his nostrils. A chill laced the humid air. He sat up, immediately locking eyes with Ciun¡¯s mask on the other side of the brazier. More apparent than the woman in the shed with him, his weak and sore body burned for sustenance.

    A wooden bowl sat next to his bench, some kind of soup in it. Illus stared at her, unbelieving of his eyes. Ciun seemed to spy this and tossed a wooden spoon at his chest. He didn¡¯t react until after the dull thump against his collar bone.

    His dry lips opened as if he was about to speak, then stopped, picking up the spoon like he was still unsure of what he was looking at.

    ¡°That¡¯s a spoon,¡± Ciun said.

    He continued to stare in disbelief, then threw the spoon back at her.

    The spoon thunked against her mask and she caught it out of a spin. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, we use these to eat soup.¡±

    Illus blinked several times, getting up to check the chimney cap which was wrapped in the navy blue fabric of one of Anilee¡¯s dresses. He glanced back to Ciun, unmoving, but well within arm¡¯s reach. As his gaze met the eyes of the mask, he noticed those same little twitches and flinches with every movement he made. He slowly held out an open palm to Ciun, who carefully gave him the spoon. With a cautious glance at the door, he sat back down on his bench.

    The soup smelled like soup. It looked like soup. By all accounts, he was certain that it was soup. Illus stared into the bowl for a prolonged minute, his mouth watering, stomach aching. His nose yearned for the fishy, richly sweet aroma, then he set it back on the floor, not entirely sure that it was soup.

    Ciun lowered her head. ¡°It¡¯s salmon, pears, potatoes, and some herbs from around the ruins.¡±

    His raspy voice still croaked terribly. ¡°A tasty, comfortable final meal?¡±

    ¡°I have no reason to poison your food, Illus.¡±

    ¡°You have all the reason to do so. More than the fox.¡±

    She paused. ¡°I do. You¡¯re right.¡±

    Illus furrowed his brows at her, unsure what to make of her response.

    ¡°But I¡­¡± The mask''s eyes returned to him, ¡°I¡¯ve come to realize that I can¡¯t stand the thought of that.¡±

    ¡°At this rate, you won¡¯t have to. Leave it to the fox, it¡¯ll do away with me.¡±

    ¡°You were right. My inaction caused that, Illus.¡± She choked on her breath for a brief moment. ¡°I haven¡¯t been doing all I can to protect you. But I am very glad to see you this lucid after so long.¡±

    Illus stared emptily into the brazier. ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Summer has just begun.¡±

    He racked his mind, seeked out memories, parsed them from delusions. He remembered well arriving at the ruins and a few months after, right before everything became a foggy mess.

    ¡°How do you feel, Illus?¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯ve just woken up from a terrible nightmare that lasted an eternity.¡± Croaking, the once confident voice of Illus shook. ¡°It would have happened at one point or another. I¡¯m only lucky to be¡­¡± he gestured around him, ¡°here, now, present.¡±

    ¡°Illus, why go to the fox after all the warnings I gave you, after all our efforts to stay away?¡±

    He let out a low breath. ¡°I took a gamble and nearly paid with my life. I did what I do. I jumped in head first to learn from experience.¡±

    She clenched her fist, frustration building with every word. ¡°You intended to go insane?¡±

    ¡°I told you where I was going,¡± he chuckled weakly, ¡°but I thought the fox would be smarter than tossing an asset away like that.¡±

    Ciun¡¯s voice shook with rage, ¡°what did you get? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± a knife vibrated, lodged in the wood next to Illus¡¯s head, ¡°you¡¯ll tell me now.¡±

    He eyed the knife and sighed, his heart rate threatening to go out of control, his worries of Ciun¡¯s deception bubbling up in the back of his head. ¡°For you, actually. To figure out this blasted poem, to understand the core of the fox¡¯s rhythm. It took a lot longer than I anticipated, but¡­¡± he put the journal in his back pocket, ¡°I deciphered it. I learned more about the fox than I ever thought I would.¡±

    She leaned back. ¡°This is your plan with the fox, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± His knuckles slammed his thighs. ¡°How do I know the past two seasons haven¡¯t been part of your plan? I don¡¯t even know what I did for most of that time! But it¡­¡± Red-faced and on the brink of breaking down, he clenched his whole body, ¡°oh, it was numbly nice until that hell of darkness¡­¡± his gaze returned to Ciun, who was ready to leap away, ¡°until you pulled me out. You saved my life, for a second time. I intend to make right by you.¡±

    Ciun let the natural sounds of the muffled chirping crickets and frogs clear the air of the room, then set her hand on her mask, gently rubbing the soft ivory. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for this mask, I probably would be seated next to you. If it weren¡¯t for this mask, I would take your hand and thank you for staying against the fox¡¯s visions.¡±

    ¡°Is it the mask? Is it the reason you gave up on everyone else?¡± Illus retorted, recollecting himself.

    She froze.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that this has been playing out the same as most of the others, right?¡±

    She lowered her hand.

    ¡°They either die to the fox like I almost did or go insane and you kill them, right?¡±

    More silence.

    ¡°Of course. Because you¡¯re terrified.¡±

    She clenched her teeth and in a flash, she was kneeling directly in front of Illus, mask to face. The mask¡¯s glowing blue eyes locked with Illus¡¯s. Her staggered, terrified breath cascaded over his face. ¡°They took their chances and gambled with their lives. But every chance, you¡¯ve not taken it. Why?¡±

    Illus stared into the eyes of the mask cautiously, noticing the mask was slightly upturned. ¡°I¡¯d rather not strip you of your soul despite this ringer you¡¯ve been pulling me through. Anyway, you¡¯re looking at my hands.¡± He lightly leaned his forehead against the mask, freezing in place.

    Ciun¡¯s trembling hands rapidly clutched the mask to her face, unable to speak. Her breath became more rapid, shallow. ¡°Make your move.¡±

    He eased his expression and stared into the mask¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have no reason to take your mask, yet you keep pushing it. I¡¯m starting to think you want me to take it. You want an excuse to kill me like all the others. Takes a load off your back, doesn¡¯t it? A return to normalcy.¡±

    She said nothing.

    Illus raised his index finger and Ciun leapt back on the instant, catching her breath. He nodded as if he expected it. ¡°Is your little test over now? Can we get back to business, I¡¯m growing awfully tired of this game.¡±

    Her voice lost all tone. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re more mature than me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not acting like it, but how is that I¡¯m more mature than you who¡¯s been around for, oh¡­ two, three thousand years? More? What¡¯s suddenly different now? Why the change of heart? Me dying- was it just too pitiful to see?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you try alone this whole time, and you were right, I could be doing so much more to keep you alive. I thought what if I could be your anchor into reality if the fox succeeds in breaking you, that I could lead you back into the light. I¡­ Madness isn¡¯t a good look on you.¡±

    Skepticism took hold in Illus¡¯s mind. ¡°Who¡¯s to say you haven¡¯t had this conversation with every other-¡±

    Ciun shot to her feet, a burst of long simmering shame and rage. ¡°Because they were lost or I killed them by now, Illus!¡±

    He pointed at her as if making a point. ¡°But you never prevented them from getting there, did you?¡±

    She froze.

    ¡°I realize now I made the same mistake as the others likely made, thinking you were an eternally old and wise pseudo-deity like the fox. I expected too much out of you, didn¡¯t I? That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t been able to understand who to trust, because of the mysteriously humble, cheery front you put up to conceal your true identity. But it¡¯s not a front at all. You¡¯re not a witch or a sorceress. I reckon you know nothing about magic at all. You¡¯re just a painter with a magic mask who never got over her fears after thousands of wasted years.¡±

    Ciun bit her upper lip, little shivers in her chest as her jaw trembled. ¡°It¡¯s easier to pretend. It keeps us both safer. Which is why I am going to get you out of here alive. You don¡¯t need to play this game anymore. Nobody does. It¡¯s my fault that I am where I am.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± He leaned in fervently. ¡°What¡¯s easiest is never what¡¯s best. That¡¯s why I¡¯m pressing you. Let¡¯s end the game. Let me help you break this curse, Ciun. We can end this cycle, can¡¯t we? After all those years you have to know a way.¡±

    She was on the verge of leaping out the door, on her back foot. ¡°How am I supposed to believe that after what I saw for the past-¡±

    Illus shot up, dashing the bowl of soup across the floor, screaming in a fit of exhausted anxiety, ¡°Again! By God, can we be past the games?! ¡®I don¡¯t trust you,¡¯ ¡®But how do I know I can trust you?!¡¯ Every conversation, every utterance is stunted! I toil for an ounce of information from you, parsing words and picking apart the meaning because the fox is in your head worse than it¡¯s in mine! You¡¯re so afraid of losing that blasted mask that you won¡¯t even accept help when it¡¯s on a silver platter! I¡¯m here! I¡¯ve been offering since the beginning because my life is more at stake than yours and I don¡¯t know how many times I have to say it before you start understanding that! I¡¯m practically begging to help you so I can walk out of here alive! Do you get it now that I¡¯ve been left in catacombs, soiling myself because I blindly wandered so far that I couldn¡¯t move anymore while I was assaulted by lies in my own mind?! I followed a specter of you, Ciun! Into an underworld of bones and death! Can¡¯t you-¡±

    An apparition of Ciun beside him, holding him in a comforting embrace. It cooled his fiery hot head. His eyes locked with her across the brazier from him, her trembling outstretched hand casting the vision. Illus returned to sitting, unaffected by her mirage which dissipated into blue mist around him.

    A darkness in his eyes overpowered all anger in him. ¡°The fox nearly killed me because he finally used you to lure me into those catacombs. I don¡¯t know why, I just¡­ followed without hesitation.¡±

    She flexed her jaw, saying nothing.

    ¡°I owe you my life twice over now. I¡¯ve got that poem closer to figured out, and there¡¯s still time. What say we try to free you?¡± Illus held his hand out to Ciun.

    She stared at it. ¡°A verbal agreement is good enough.¡±

    ¡°Not for me.¡± He smiled, standing and taking a step closer.

    Ciun stayed in place, unwilling to move.

    ¡°Ciun, what more proof could you possibly want?¡± Illus shook his head, an astonished smile crawling up with a chuckle, ¡°I could have easily nabbed that mask with my head somehow, possibly knocked your head and took it!¡± He sighed, seeing that he was getting nowhere. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a simple handshake?¡±

    ¡°A handshake turns into a grasp, a grasp into a pull. And then you die or I die.¡± She clenched her fist, ¡°How do I truly know you won¡¯t take it? Doom me to the fox?¡±

    He sympathetically gazed into the mask¡¯s eyes. ¡°I trusted a faux you enough to follow her into darkness.¡±

    ¡°You were insane.¡±

    ¡°I feel more insane trying to get you to act according to your own words. You say you would be close were it not for the mask, as if that is how you truly are. But I don¡¯t see it. If you truly want to leave here, you¡¯ll have to start warming up to people again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m plenty warm, thank you.¡±

    His hand fell slightly. The mask, the loose nightgown, long hair, all of it made reading her demeanor and expression nigh impossible. All he spotted was the hunched, reared back, and anxious posture alongside her tight-lipped, straight mouth that she so frequently displayed.

    ¡°If I believed every woman I met was like Ani, I would never care about any of them ever again. Despite how easy it would be to believe you¡¯re a sorceress using me for her evil deeds, that you have been lying to me, I can¡¯t stay locked in that mental prison forever, or else I will simply wither away.¡± Illus glanced down at the flipped bowl of soup on the floor, his thin body, his bony hands. ¡°I¡¯m already close. Ciun, I¡¯m not asking you to cuddle up, I¡¯m asking you for a handshake and that last poem. My life depends on it, and I might be able to save yours.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Ciun swallowed, then trepidatiously stepped one foot forward, planted like she was ready to leap away at the nearest sign of harm. She extended her trembling hand toward his, pulling her fingers in before she was close enough for a full grasp. Illus slowly, carefully reached his index finger and thumb to her hand, lightly placing them on the end of her finger. An instinctual jerk almost pulled her finger away, but she held it in place while Illus gently moved it up and down like a handshake.

    After a stressful silence, he let her finger go. She clutched it near her chest, gaze locked on the spot he touched.

    Illus picked up his pack with the journal and walked directly past her, so close that the breeze from his body shifted her hair and clothes. Ciun whipped wildly around and leapt into the chimney cap as he stepped out the door.

    He peeked back into the shed, up to her. ¡°A quick wash, then I¡¯ll meet you at the top of the mountain, yeah?¡±

    Her hands were slipping from her usual propped position. She stared silently at him with a red face, nodded, and climbed out the cap. When Illus stepped out and glanced to the roof of the shed, she was already gone.

    He cleaned himself of the murky stench of the catacombs, the bile, the filth. Herbs and water could cleanse his body, but his mind felt tainted, ravaged, stained by the fox in a way that would never leave him.

    The slow hike to Ciun¡¯s domain atop the mountain took a greater toll on Illus this ascent. His muscles had deteriorated slowly over the past several months. Every movement cost double the effort it would have taken before he was trapped, but he pushed upward, taking in the calm night air, gently whistling around the mountain while he filled his belly with dry fish and fruit, drinking plenty of water. The past several months were a fleeting nightmare, bits and pieces less foggy than others, but the cipher solved nonetheless, the rhythm of the fox understood.

    His weary eyes stared out at the distant stars, heavy, still somehow exhausted. Yet he saw them differently now. Every little speck shone brighter than before against the impossibly dark backdrop of night. He saw them all so much clearer, his heart and head lighter than usual. One descent could not break him. One climb would not shake him. He knew looking at those stars, that he had a chance. Unbridled happiness of being alive, breathing, seeing- it soared through him as if he was reborn anew.

    A brush of cloth and Ciun stood behind him. He was hardly up the mountain, but she was already back down, a piping hot wooden bowl in her hands.

    ¡°You look unwell, Illus.¡± She held the bowl out to him.

    He nodded, taking the bowl without touching her. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve been worse off.¡±

    She walked behind him, closer than usual, but still out of reach. ¡°I forgot how warm people are.¡±

    ¡°That long, eh?¡± Illus began wolfing down the soup.

    She didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°Disenchanting, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Was I supposed to be enchanted in the first place?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± her shoulders sagged.

    ¡°I¡¯m pulling your arm, Ciun, where¡¯s your usual banter?¡±

    No response.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She silently shook her head.

    ¡°In truth, it¡¯s quite comforting to know you¡¯re just a person too.¡±

    Her somber silence was all the answer he got.

    Illus slowly turned away and ate. Every time he glanced back at her, the mask stared at him, her mouth expressionless. The whirring wind chilled the mountainside, but it was welcome after spending so many hot hours in the stuffy shed, running from mirages, and dying in the catacombs. After a lengthy, silent walk, he finished eating and she took the bowl back up the mountain.

    When he neared the peak, she landed in front of him, backstepping up the stairs with her eyes locked on him.

    ¡°Do I have something on my face?¡±

    Her lips slightly pursed like she was about to say something, but silence.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    She lowered her gaze and returned to walking straight. With a wave of her hand, the world slowly shimmered. The mountain was yet again encased in granite tiles, no trees obstructing the view out over the colorful nighttime city of Imahken, lit by blue flames in every street and clearing.

    Ciun took a heavy breath and sang a simple song that rose in the first line of each rhyme, falling in the second. A tune bouncing on each syllable like a nursery rhyme. She joined the choir on the mountain as they slowly ascended, a procession carrying unmasked Enae atop the divan.

    ¡°I¡¯ll dream upon the comet stone,

    And claim desire I¡¯ve never known.

    All that I wish granted herein,

    My heart be true lest comet spin.

    To build thee up or make thee whole,

    Ye elder comet judge thy soul.

    I¡¯ll dream I¡¯ll dream, oh to be free,

    From suffering and misery.¡±

    The singing halted as ringing chimes resounded throughout the city, like a symphony of shattering glass in every direction, carried upon the back of deep drum beats. Ciun stopped walking, the shade of her long-past self continued forward, no details except for the mask in her hands. Illus slowly caught up, where she joined him in silence.

    A melancholy chill consumed her low voice, almost inaudible against the chimes and drums. ¡°This is the night after Enae was unmasked. We had a plan to undermine the fox, to save Imahken. She believed in me so strongly that she carried her will with her, despite having no sense of self.¡±

    Then the song resumed more powerfully, the entire city chanting the hauntingly cheery tune.

    ¡°But if I win the comet stone,

    Splendor in the future¡¯s sown.

    So down into the maze I¡¯ll go,

    Capture the mask, follow the glow.

    Together with the fox we run,

    Our home is rich, a gift of one.

    I¡¯ll dream, I¡¯ll dream upon the sky,

    A wish, a love, we¡¯ll never die.¡±

    A blisteringly bright white light blinded Illus at the top of the mountain, and only when he covered the light with his hand did he see that it was emanating from an orb atop the fox¡¯s nose. The entire mountaintop shone bright as daytime, like the fox held a miniature sun.

    The chimes and drums died on the instant, their resounding beats dissipating into the night. The mountaintop fell still and silent as Enae rose from her divan, bright blue satin dress dragging behind her like a current. The shade of Ciun followed at an angle, clutching the mask closely.

    ¡°Enae the fair,¡± the fox began, tossing the stone to his paw. ¡°Soft as air. Approach ye perfect maiden, thy worries need not leave thee laden. Take this wish and know love¡¯s scope, the comet shall grant whatever you hope.¡±

    She curtsied the fox, who passed the great light to her. As the comet stone raised in her hands, a blazing light shot from stone to the white comet high above, its tail a sparkling streak across the night sky. Enae glanced over her shoulder at the shade of Ciun, who nodded.

    Then she said, ¡°Kill the fox.¡±

    A burst of light shot from comet to stone. The stone vibrated loudly in Enae¡¯s hands, underscored by a cackle from the fox, who confidently postured as light consumed the peak of the mountain.

    Illus had to close his eyes, the light threatening to scorch them even when covered by his hands.

    It suddenly dimmed in Enae¡¯s hands. Her hands- stone. As if frozen in the moment of her wish, she was entirely encased in stone.

    The shade of Ciun froze in place, clutching the mask closely.

    The fox cackled. ¡°Enae never listened, for this she is christened. The comet may not kill, no intention of ill-will.¡± It jumped atop the shining orb and projected its maddening voice across the entire city. ¡°The comet has spoken, our city unbroken! My power yet saves us, from meddling and chaos!¡±

    The city screamed, a medley of chants keeping any one from being heard over the other. The fox closed its eyes to bask in the chorus, raising its arms while everyone among the procession prostrated themselves before it.

    All except Ciun.

    The fox¡¯s eyes shot open when its pedestal was swept, silent and now masked Ciun swiped the orb from beneath it as the city roared too loud for anyone to hear.

    She skidded to the edge of the mountain, the orb glowing more vibrant than when Enae held it.

    The fox cackled, trotting confidently toward her. ¡°Eager to be unmasked, Ciun? No will to wait for the next moon? Will you take the volley and copy her folly?¡± Its eyes thinned as it registered something, a plan in the eyes of the mask. The fox¡¯s voice roared like thunder. Its pelt twisted and curled. ¡°No desire you have will end my reign. Serve your home and bear your rightful pain!¡±

    Then she raised the stone above her head and the fox¡¯s eyes glimmered with power unlike what Illus had ever experienced. The prostrating procession shot up with the will of one, haze leaking from all their eyes when they charged Ciun. The fox flew forward with speed like a diving eagle, claws for Ciun¡¯s neck. The mask¡¯s magic propelled Ciun high into the air, fast as the fox.

    From atop the statue of the fox, she uttered her desire. ¡°Free Imahken from the fox for all eternity!¡±

    The fox¡¯s face contorted like Illus had never seen, shrinking to a chaotic mess of tight wrinkles like its skin was being tugged tight by fingers beneath it.

    The hazy-eyed crowd trampled over each other mindlessly, climbing the statue to reach her. The air rippled. A wave of freezing white flames burst from the stone. Everyone atop the mountain blasted out into the open air, even Enae and the fox. The fox caught itself, swirling like a serpent through the air toward Ciun until the mask burst with its own power. A cloud of blue mist seeped from the eyes of the mask, forming chains binding the fox and Ciun by their heads.

    Screaming erupted out of both of them, then the city followed in a haunting chorus.

    The high-pitched shrieks and extreme magic whirred in a deafening explosion, growing more powerful while colors swirled. Blue haze of the mask. Black miasma from the fox. White glow of the orb searing them both into one. The two singularities clashed violently, wrestling with the chains of haze. One within Ciun, and one within the fox. Suddenly, everything went black.

    Then stillness took the mountaintop. No longer was it encrusted in granite and tile, but returned to its ruinous state.

    Illus¡¯s body vibrated, his ears rang, his eyes ached, his mouth tasted of iron and he smelled burnt ozone.

    Everything slowed.

    Frogs croaked and crickets chirped from the forest around. A distant loon called ¡°hoo-ooo-hoo-ooo¡± from the lake below, then another in response. The city was silent, its people forgotten to time, encased in foliage where homes once stood. Ciun sat staring out over the city, chin on her knees, harshly clutching her ears, hair pulled tight in her grip.

    ¡°The next thing I knew, I was in the catacombs. Lost.¡± She stammered through shaky breaths, fighting away tears. ¡°I promised to free her with my request. Imahken too. I thought it would. All this time now, because of my lie, everyone-¡± she broke down into her knees.

    Illus sat beside her in silence, wanting to offer some semblance of comfort, but afraid to get too close. ¡°I¡¯m right here¡­ whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±

    He took out the journal and began idly staring at the pages with the deciphered poem, unable to read because his eyes kept shifting to Ciun and his mind kept wandering toward her. She showed him that for a reason. That moment seemed to create the prison around the temple, and it seemed to be the doom of Imahken. Did stealing the comet stone and imprisoning the fox cause Imahken to fall? What came after?

    His eyes set on her, curled into her knees, then returned to the poem¡¯s words, the fresh mirage still in mind.

    He had cracked the cipher. He switched all instances of Ciun and the Fox, as clued in by the fox¡¯s backwards accusations and lies. The titles of each were upside down, so he flipped the first words in the first and third lines of each stanza, and then read them both end to beginning, resulting in the following poems.

    Kill

    The

    Fox:

    Rise from death.

    For mist¡¯s stealth,

    Down his breath

    Ciun knows will.

    Is the thrill,

    Fox may kill

    Top no ground.

    Tis stone crowned,

    ¡®Neath where found,

    Promise

    To

    Ciun:

    Lie all through.

    You know who,

    Trust I do

    Trust til done.

    Him I shun

    Life not one

    Stone he hark.

    Where his ark

    Maze from dark

    Not every line made sense to him yet, but he had a good point to inspire some more questioning.

    The turning of pages caught Ciun¡¯s ear. ¡°So you deciphered the poem?¡± She said, still looking away.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m still discerning some meaning, but the cipher is undone.¡±

    She lightly nodded, crossing her arms around her knees.

    ¡°It seems like everything is pointing to the comet stone so far, but I warrant that¡¯s in the catacombs, in the fox¡¯s domain.¡±

    She averted her gaze.

    ¡°You can lead me there, can¡¯t you?¡±

    Ciun hesitantly nodded, like a fear surged in her. ¡°I know them above and below, front to back.¡±

    ¡°Did you lose the stone down there?¡±

    ¡°You think I could lose such a brilliant light in that abyss?¡± An uncomfortable chuckle broke her angst. ¡°It was stolen back by a plunderer and his crew who found the ruins and fell victim to the fox.¡±

    ¡°Ciun, will you lead me to the stone? I may be able to free you with a wish.¡±

    ¡°The fox will eat you alive with hallucinations and falsehoods in the catacombs.¡±

    ¡°Not if you¡¯re there.¡±

    ¡°Even still.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean if you¡¯re there to ground me in reality, to keep me from being broken by the fox. Guide me by hand and there is nothing the fox can do.¡±

    She said nothing.

    ¡°You¡¯re not in danger down there anyway. I couldn¡¯t see your face even if I broke and took it. That¡¯s why you weren¡¯t afraid of carrying me out, right?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I pulled you along by your foot. Like a ribbon fluttering in the air behind me.¡±

    Illus grumbled, frustrated at her dismal hopelessness. ¡°Of course. That would require you to touch me, and you¡¯re terrified of that.¡±

    Ciun turned to Illus without a word, the mask¡¯s eyes intensely glaring at him. His brows furrowed, wanting to blame her further until he saw the way her mouth lightly quivered, how she still clenched the finger he shook.

    He softened his stare and held out his hand. ¡°Little steps? The first one is always the hardest.¡±

    She slowly reached out, lightly setting the tips of her middle and index fingers on his, carefully pressing fingertips to fingertips. Hers were scarred and rough, more so than his.

    Ciun¡¯s reflexes, her instincts, they screamed inside of her. Her hand shook terribly, breath quickening as their fingers hooked on each other. Her voice shook almost as much as her hand. ¡°Is this truly the path you want to take?¡±

    Illus eased the tension in his hand, letting her fingers gently rest on his. ¡°I didn¡¯t like the look of the other paths. And it goes against my better judgment to leave you here. You don¡¯t have to step any closer than arm¡¯s reach. All I need is your hand, then I¡¯ll do the rest.¡±

    With several deep breaths, Ciun¡¯s shaking slowed, and her thumb reached forward to feel Illus¡¯s fingers, brushing against their backs before retreating. She clutched her hand and meekly spoke.

    ¡°Do you really think I deserve to be free?¡±

    ¡°For freeing Imahken from the fox?¡±

    ¡°For ending everything.¡±

    Illus thought back to the vision. ¡°How could you have known the stone would do that? How could you have known your people would perish? Is it your fault Imahken couldn¡¯t survive without wishes and sacrifices? It very well could have been the fox that caused the chaos which ended Imahken.¡±

    She said nothing.

    ¡°Ask, Ciun.¡± Illus held his arm to the expansive forest below. ¡°After all this time, the thousands of lifetimes you¡¯ve lived in their stead. Ask them what would be better: ending this soul-stealing cycle for good, or returning to a world built on servitude and lies?¡±

    She choked on her words. ¡°I never thought the city would fall, that everyone would die and leave nothing but bones.¡±

    ¡°So then make right by their sacrifices. By the sacrifices of your family for generations. By your sister and all those who endured the fall of Imahken.¡±

    Her head fell back into her knees and she pushed up quickly, turning away from Illus. He didn¡¯t move, just kept her in his peripheral. She stayed in place for a moment, fiddling with her hands out of his sight, then turned and beckoned him to follow.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to be in your strongest form when we go down. Come with me.¡±

    Illus followed Ciun to the north side of the peak, opposite where the path was. The stone surface abruptly ended and she dropped down. Beneath the outcropping of stone a mess of brush obscured a cave. Without effort, Ciun pushed a boulder from in front of an opening to a warmly lit interior chamber.

    Gray, cracked and resealed granite floors spanned the interior. The walls were painted with a colorful scene of Imahken, as if each wall were a window into the past. Colorful buildings across the lake, a vast temple stretching out over the city, gardens and ponds around the chamber. Then in the middle of the room was a large circular dip filled with brush and covered in hand-woven quilts. Polished granite ceilings gave the room a bright feel, false flames illuminating the interior.

    Ciun approached the far wall and began concealing blades in her gown. A few dozen knives and swords hung by a vibrant green and white handwoven tapestry with geometric designs like a mandala. Many of the blades were completely rusted while a select few retained their shine, newer and cared for. A brazier full of soup simmered over a flame which emanated no smoke. In fact, it was fueled by nothing. The wall to Illus¡¯s right hung herbs, dried fruits and fish, cookware, and wooden utensils. The wall to his left was littered by an array of odds and ends, some of the dresses and supplies from Anilee¡¯s bag stuffed onto the shelves in the walls. And in the corner was an incomplete mess of fabric surrounded by carefully cut textiles. It was thicker than the nightgown, a billowing robe made of Ani¡¯s white petticoats.

    She carried a wooden slab toward the door and placed it next to the boulder. ¡°Use this door while you stay here.¡±

    Illus skeptically stared at her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be sleeping elsewhere. You don¡¯t have to worry about the fox up here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m humbled, Ciun.¡±

    ¡°We have until just before the river dries for the next comet. Will you be ready then?¡±

    ¡°Will you?¡±

    She hesitated by the door. ¡°We will be.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She returned the nod. ¡°You will find his carvings on the out-facing side of the boulder. And don¡¯t fuss with the flame, ever. Goodnight. I¡¯d love to know what they say come morning.¡±

    ¡°I will. Goodnight.¡± He lingered as she disappeared out the entrance, then stepped out and inspected the writing.

    Birth of Imahken

    Lovers entombed among the heavens

    Distanced as to prevent any leavins

    By the emptiness unimaginable,

    Space untouched by mortal rabble.

    And in a desperate ploy to halt his tail,

    Passage twas gripped, his chest impaled

    Of selfish magick masked in loving touch,

    Time had come, the comet in clutch.

    That lady moon wished never to flee,

    No desire to explore the expanse of thee.

    Magick and wander did comet believe

    Saves a life from all regrets we grieve.

    For he fell to sleep and dropped a gem,

    Life and love he shan¡¯t condemn.

    Is in this that she made its keeper

    Escape forever burdened steeper.

    Stellavultus

    She, beguiled and lost to her love,

    Desperate she used all magick above

    To touch land and mortality with a goal:

    Reclaim the stone and free his soul.

    Her spirit touched soil and made body,

    Stolen from esprit in a fit of jealousy.

    Groom she became by the lich¡¯s power,

    Preserved her blessing, twisted it dour.

    In histories twas revered as the cost

    A blue blood paid to be star-crossed.

    Vile the moonpact, the villain¡¯s affinity,

    Curse which fed on stolen personality.

    Only through thievery and deception,

    Mortals gleefully made exception.

    May all who read reject this task:

    Free her from the prison starmask.

    ¡°This¡­¡± Illus pondered aloud, ¡°even the vertical¡­ it all dissuades action to free her. Who¡¯s side are you on, Carmonia? Or can this magic not be undone?¡± Another thought fluttered through his mind. ¡°No. They¡¯re the premise and a guide¡­ to the wish that he never made, never figured out. But they¡¯re in here for a reason. This curse is born of a particular magic, it must be the key. So then what must I wish for, or dream for?¡±

    Illus ventured over and held the wooden door in place before attempting to push the boulder, thinking it may have been false. It wasn¡¯t. It was in fact, incredibly heavy, so much that he couldn¡¯t even budge it. With that knowledge, he laid down in the soft quilts, the poems lingering in his mind. The smell from fragrant herbs beneath him plumed around the chamber, easing his mind away from the plethora of new information that seemed to say little of use. And for the first time since arriving at the ruins, Illus slept through the night.

 Love may guide thee further toward fates,

    Summer bounded forward as a rushing child when Illus stepped out onto the shining mountaintop where he met Ciun each morning. Their days would often begin with a light touch of the hands to warm her up for some casual human contact. When he had eaten, stretched, and gathered his supplies, she would tap him into the air, sending him down to the lake¡¯s edge so he could fish and spend the day away from the fox.

    The fox could not venture to the far side of the mountain where the lake calmly rippled and waved, where turkeys lived around the lake¡¯s vicinity, and most importantly where the fishing was much better. Illus restored a significant amount of weight over the summer, nearing the size he arrived in. He climbed up the mountain every day despite Ciun¡¯s offers to flick him up to the summit.

    Between fishing, conversation, and enjoying the tranquil scene together, they practiced holding hands. Illus felt a little silly doing it at first, walking around with Ciun, joined at an extended arm¡¯s reach by one finger. Yet gradually that finger became two, and two became three, then three became a loose pancake hold which lasted for weeks until Ciun¡¯s jitters calmed enough to interlace her fingers with his- from a healthy full arm¡¯s extension.

    The narrow shore along the lake provided enough shade and cover that they had little need to venture to the ruin side of the mountain. That did not stop Ciun from taking him all across the ruins to show off her bounty. Thousands of years spent cultivating pears led to only two species surviving after the fox¡¯s meddling. The potatoes proved more durable. She pulled up large brown potatoes, little red ones, and sweet potatoes, each having their own different variations that Illus tried and failed to remember as Ciun rambled on about them. She loved the bees especially, harvesting honey by calming them with mirages of roses, pear trees, and honeysuckle. A stewardess of the land she had become, friend of all the creatures who escaped the fox and made home in the ruins. He found himself lost in listening to her gush about her hard work growing a modest paradise in the ruins, one that could easily sustain her and those trapped.

    And when she had little to say, Illus told her of the new world she would be stepping into. The cities rising on shorelines and train tracks spreading across the prairies. Smog in the sky and technology she had never imagined. Though it was far from paradise, she became more eager to step into the new age- slowly, of course.

    As their hand holds grew closer, so too did the fox. Illus knew Ciun was keeping a close eye on him despite the way she bounded through the ruins swaying their hands. He frequently encountered mirages and oddities in her personality, then instinctively tightened his grip on her hand. That usually indicated to her he was in need of an ¡°I banish thee, fox.¡± And it always worked, their wordless system that naturally grew. Illus realized that as long as they were touching, the fox could only create mirages outside of Illus¡¯s mind, never afflicting him with harsh emotions or false memories.

    The poems danced through Illus¡¯s mind in his alone time by the lake. When Ciun was away with her own business tending to the ruins, he mulled over them tirelessly. Carmonia¡¯s records on the origins of the mask, the stone, the fox, and the blue bloods. He had pieced together that there was some love triangle between the moon, the comet, and the stars, in which the moon had trapped the comet and placed a keeper, and the stars sent the mask down, which was stolen and twisted.

    The goal seemed obvious at first- to make a wish returning the comet stone to the comet. However, the more Illus pieced together the timeline and the overlapping magics, he hypothesized that even if the comet stone was returned, it wouldn¡¯t undo the magic on the mask, so the fox and Ciun would remain imprisoned.

    The fox, the lich, the keeper of the stone- or so Illus staked his bet on- had to be factored into the wish. The fox, who would feed on Ciun¡¯s spirit if the mask¡¯s curse was fulfilled. But the poems urged against freeing anyone.

    ¡°Lovers distanced by space and passage of time that no magick saves for life is escape. She, desperate to reclaim her stolen groom preserved in a vile curse only mortals may free.¡±

    ¡°This is the tale of all Imahken,¡± Illus spoke aloud, alone by the shore. ¡°The moon, the comet, the stars, the fox, the stone, and the mask. To the moon is the fox. To the comet is the stone. To the stars is the mask. Is it a fairytale? Metaphor? Or heaven forbid, literal? The fox keeps the stone. The stone is the key. The fox cursed the mask. Ciun is imprisoned by the mask. Ciun imprisoned the fox with the stone. The fox stole the stone. The moon shackled the comet, and the stars want the comet back, but they¡¯re trapped because of the mask, which they sent down to free the stone, which the fox cursed. And here I am back at the fox. If I ask to annihilate it all, or any negative request for that matter, the comet will turn me to stone presumably. Is there an overlap that I can exploit in a righteous request? If we even make it so far to retrieve the stone.¡± Illus smiled up at the sun. ¡°Yet only a mortal can solve this.¡± He sighed, ¡°and it had to be me.¡±

    These became the exhausting musings he thought over as the summer slowly waned and fate crept closer. Ciun could say nothing, so he was alone in making the decision. One wish. One chance.

    <hr>

    Anilee rushed through the halls the moment she heard the knocker banging against the door. The mail slot clacked and paper swished onto the floor. Her elderly butler reached to retrieve the papers, but Ani had already pushed past him and tossed envelopes aside. One for her eldest brother, two for the youngest, none for the middle brother, and then the final letter was addressed to Anilee Uthman.

    She ripped it open on the spot, desperately shredding the envelope to reveal the letter inside that would decide her fate, her last appeal for sponsorship to the closest officer to the Uthman family.

    ¡°Please, Miss Ani, allow me,¡± the butler held out his hand, but she ignored him.

    ¡°Dear Miss Uthman,¡± Anilee read. A smile crept up her cheeks. ¡°Your return trip to discover the ruins of Imahken is bold, and we acknowledge that despite no physical evidence, the eyewitness testimony strongly favors a profitable endeavor.¡± Her smile began to fade. ¡°However, in light of recent controversy and the ongoing investigation regarding Lieutenant Illus Hayshon, we feel postponing our sponsorship until the investigation is over is the option that favors all parties best. We sincerely hope that the investigation concludes with results showing integrity and honesty from all parties involved. We wish-¡±

    Anilee screamed and ripped the letter in half, yanking on her hair.

    ¡°Miss Ani, please-¡± her butler reached out to take the letter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± She slapped her butler across the face, clumps of hair tangled in her fingers.

    Her home, her inheritance, her clothes, her books. All of it was burning in her mind as she wailed on the butler who cared for her since birth.

    ¡°Miss Ani,¡± he calmly spoke, blocking his face while she punched him in the ribs, ¡°please contain yourself, there are yet-¡±

    She pushed him off balance and the remarkably resilient old man tumbled to his rear, groaning. Ani threw the papers in his face and yelled at him. ¡°You didn¡¯t write the letters well enough! You ruined everything for me, you worthless old sack! I never want to see you again!¡±

    ¡°Miss Ani,¡± he collected the papers and struggled to his feet, hobbling after her.

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    ¡°Miss Ani, you may yet be able to organize a group!¡±

    Anilee glared over her shoulder at him, her dark eyes filled with fury and greed. ¡°Then say how already!¡±

    ¡°Miss Ani, I believe you need no sponsorship if you have lure enough to form a search party for Master Illus.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t for him! This is my expedition!¡±

    ¡°Regardless, Miss Ani, in your research, you recorded a section about a powerful mask. If-¡±

    Anilee beamed, her smile returning on the instant. ¡°Shut up! I know what to do!¡± She ran off to the library and collected the map that her and Illus had marked the search area for Imahken on.

    Her butler sighed, retrieved the mail, then handed it off to a maid. He followed Anilee into a polished darkwood stagecoach with a pile of supplies in his arms. From clean cobblestones and painted mansions to gravel and disrepair. Ani scowled when she entered a pub that she didn¡¯t care to read the name of. She only needed a rowdy military pub, and it was indeed rowdy. The door squealed open to drunken yelling and laughter. Haggard, tired, and grungy individuals filled the building. Tattooed and scruffy, the bartender wiped his sweaty bald head with the bar towel and then cleaned the counter with it, eying Anilee down the whole way.

    Anilee grimaced back at him from beneath her wide-brimmed hat. ¡°Attention, everyone in this-¡±

    A man by the entrance unwittingly blew smoke into her face. In a fit of rage, she climbed atop a table. The bar suddenly fell quiet, interested in the display.

    Ani sneered down her nose at them. ¡°I have a lot of places to be, so this will be short. I need a party to assist in reaching the ruins marked on this map. I went there with another party, but they were too weak to handle the dangers present. So I ask you all, will you follow me?¡±

    A man burped and several more laughed boisterously.

    ¡°Oy, oy!¡± The bartender shook his head. ¡°Love, if you¡¯re asking for a crew, you ought to have some money with you.¡±

    ¡°Your prize,¡± she retrieved a sketch, ¡°is this mask.¡± The sketch depicted Ciun in the nightgown, though it was tighter and showed an excess of skin. Long legs and silky hair, she was far more buxom than reality, and Anilee drew it like that on purpose. ¡°This woman is in the ruins, and she holds a magical mask that grants immense power. She is wily and difficult to catch, but that was because there were only four of us with few weapons. Whoever collects this mask claims its power, but also the woman.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    The whole bar was silent, men eying each other to get a sense of what they all thought. Eager glances met skeptical glares, yet they weren¡¯t saying anything.

    ¡°Not only that, but there is immense treasure around the ruins. Artifacts of magical power and gold. Even if you¡¯re not the lucky one to win the mask, you will be met with ample riches.¡±

    Anilee¡¯s butler worriedly glanced around the room, noticing the hungry eyes of every man in the bar. Ani reveled in it. She tacked the sketch to the pub message board. On the paper was: Expedition to ruins for artifacts and gold. Troops needed. All welcome. Report with a month¡¯s supplies to New Heraldsburg Train Station, Platform 9, at dawn of July 12th for briefing and departure.

    For a last time, she glared down at everyone day-drinking in the pub, knowing that at least one would bite. She went to pub after pub, every time embellishing the story further. The mysterious blue woman went from a wily ghost to a damsel in distress, waiting for a man to steal her mask, claim her love, and earn eternal life. That seemed to get the best reactions, at least that¡¯s what Anilee noticed. She saw no issues with talking up a few points here or there. Soon enough, the story spread like wildfire among bargoers and treasure hunters, all hearing different stories that enticed them even more. Promises of treasure and magic consumed the city¡¯s attention, but they remained skeptical- until news broke.

    Reporters wrote about the suspicious postings. They cautioned people until they learned it was connected to an ongoing investigation within the military. When they connected the Uthman scandal to the rumors of magic, it became a sensation. Everyone wanted to know how the mysterious masked woman was related to the disappearance of a young, capable intelligence officer. All eyes were on the Uthmans in that month leading up to the expedition.

    The story reached Colonel Uthman the morning of May 30th when he was drinking his morning coffee with the Friday paper. Just as he began reading the story, fists aggressively beat against his door.

    ¡°One moment!¡± Colonel Uthman tried reading the paper as quickly as he could, but he was cut off by voices.

    ¡°Colonel Uthman!¡± It was the chief investigator, Captain Chitus, a short man with the aggression of a pitbull and the build of a barrel. ¡°Sir!¡± His gruff voice yelled out. ¡°This business cannot wait.¡±

    Uthman grabbed his coat and opened the door to find Chitus and two other investigators holding the very same paper.

    ¡°Colonel,¡± Chitus sternly glared up at him, short blond hair and protruding gray eyes, ¡°why am I finding out new details about an active military investigation from the press? And where are you off to so early.¡±

    ¡°Take an early lunch with me and we¡¯ll both find out.¡±

    Colonel Uthman brought the investigators right to the Uthman mansion. He slammed the front door open and called out so loud the entire house shook. ¡°Anilee Grace Uthman! Report to the front door this instant!¡± His commanding and stern voice threatened to break for rage. When he heard nothing, he called out even louder, sending shivers down Chitus¡¯s and the other investigators¡¯ spines. ¡°Anilee Grace Uthman! Report to the front door or you won¡¯t have a room to hide in!¡±

    Frantic footsteps banged against the floor above them. Uthman¡¯s stern face slowly turned bright red. His brown eyes looked like they were about to burst from his head and his widow¡¯s peak of blond hair was still a mess from ripping his beret off when he stepped in the door.

    Trepidatious footsteps approached them, Anilee wide-eyed at the sight before her. She anxiously clutched the skirt of her casual puffy dress and curtsied to the men in the front door.

    Uthman¡¯s rumbling voice shot Ani to attention. ¡°Why am I here right now, Anilee?¡±

    She squeaked like a scared mouse. ¡°Because of the flyers?¡±

    His heavy boots echoed through the hallway. He stomped to Anilee and pushed the newspaper into her hands. ¡°Tell me what the problem with this is.¡±

    ¡°Was I not allowed to talk about the expedition?¡±

    ¡°Wrong.¡±

    She cowered beneath him, shrinking into her shoulders. ¡°What is it, then?¡±

    Uthman ordered Anilee¡¯s eyes upward. ¡°Look at me when I speak to you.¡± Only when her eyes met his did he continue. ¡°Why is the investigation team coming to me with new information about an active investigation from the press, that you chose not to report to them?¡±

    Tears flooded out of Anilee¡¯s eyes. ¡°Because I made it up to get people to make a return expedition! It¡¯s true, we saw a woman that looked like her, but it was the fox¡¯s hallucination! None of it is true, but my butler said I should lure capable men by saying there would be magic and wealth in the ruins!¡±

    Uthman spotted his daughter¡¯s usual deflection. ¡°It¡¯s reassuring to know my daughter takes orders from butlers. Noted. Then your butler will take some time away from you until you learn to direct yourself. You will have no butlers and no maids. You will make your own food and clean your own lodgings. If you-¡±

    ¡°But father, please-!¡±

    Colonel Uthman¡¯s temper broke and he yelled with his booming voice directly in Ani¡¯s face. ¡°I was not finished speaking!¡± Upon seeing her collapse into a crying mess, he continued. ¡°All privilege you have lived with since you were a child will be revoked until you show that you can take care of yourself without inciting chaos in this house. You will live with your lie and face the consequences of swindling scoundrels into action.¡±

    ¡°Please!¡± Anilee heaved in a frenzy of tears, falling to her knees. ¡°I didn¡¯t take orders from him! I can take care of myself! Please, father, please!¡±

    ¡°Then show me you can, Anilee. This is your expedition. You¡¯re an adult. Handle it.¡± He called out past her. ¡°Kodius, relay this information to the rest of the house. Any dissent will result in revokement of the same privileges.¡±

    His middle son, strikingly similar in appearance to the Colonel, though much younger, idly held a half-eaten apple in his hand while he watched the spectacle from the adjacent kitchen. ¡°Um, of course, father.¡± He discreetly stepped away.

    Colonel Uthman turned around and the investigators followed him out. The moment the door shut, Anilee screamed and cried and pounded the floor in a tantrum.

    All of this was because of Illus, because he tried to kill her and she saved herself. She did nothing wrong, but everybody hated her. They were all just jealous that she discovered Imahken and got out alive. Tyza and Sator had to have lied to her father to make him hate her so much. So much that he would take away everything she worked so hard to keep, worked so hard to earn for years upon years of research. It was like Illus had stolen all the credit from her, used her to become a martyr. And now she was paying the price. She hated Illus. She wanted to show her father that she was right. She wanted to put Tyza and Sator in their lowly places.

    ¡°I was stupid for ever letting him into my life!¡± Anilee screamed at the floor, pushing herself up with burning envy in her eyes. ¡°He ruined everything!¡±

    A vision caught her mind, of her stealing the mask from that woman who tried to steal Illus from her. The mask. She wanted the mask¡¯s power more than anything in the world. The day was coming where hundreds of eager treasure hunters would flood the ruins, when she would find the fox to learn how to take it.

    <hr>

    Sator arrived in New Heraldsburg early the morning of July 3rd. Wearing a freshly tailored overcoat and suit with crimson suspenders, he prepared to see Colonel Uthman. Over the past year, he and Tyza had improved their situation significantly with the money they earned, but something had been eating at the back of both of their minds.

    Between fixing their home, getting his parents into the colonies, and preparing to move on from the tragedy that struck their lives, they frequently floated the idea that Illus may have been saved by a miracle. Perhaps the fox dragged him out of the river to toy with him more. Perhaps the woman saved him. After all, she had done such a kindness to them.

    Tyza wanted to go with Sator, though. Fear consumed him in nightmares. Her untimely fate plagued his mind, all in those ruins, at the paws of the fox or in the catacombs. So, he finally gave her what she wanted. By the end of May, she was showing signs of pregnancy. Overjoyed and eager as she was, it created a new fear for her, one that she couldn¡¯t risk in the ruins.

    Sator would never forgive himself for why he did it, but he worried that if Illus was still alive, the fox would use Tyza against him. He left her at their home with his parents, who would certainly take care of Tyza if anything happened to Sator. He told himself he was doing it for her, that if her brother was alive, he would bring him back without putting her in danger.

    He offloaded his old crossbow and a new rifle from the train with a meager supply of luggage. His curly hair had grown longer than before, but he welcomed the change. No appointment was needed with Colonel Uthman, in fact, Uthman found Sator at the front desk trying to make an appointment and brought him into his office.

    The Colonel wordlessly sifted through some papers in his drawer before showing Sator one of Anilee¡¯s postings.

    Sator immediately recognized it and lowered his head. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Guilty, he shook his head. ¡°Yes, sir, we met her.¡±

    ¡°Why didn''t you mention it in your report?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, because the military would be hounding for her. For her magic and whatnot. She¡¯s the keeper and she helped us. Saved us and Illus. She asked us not to mention her to the outside world.¡±

    The Colonel glared at him. ¡°It would have been kept confidential, Sator.¡±

    ¡°I know, sir, but that¡¯s why I came back. If there¡¯s a chance Illus is alive, it¡¯s because she saved him. I want to go with you. I¡¯ve been there, so I can help navigate. I¡­ I owe it to him.¡±

    ¡°This woman, what is the scope of her abilities?¡±

    ¡°No clue. All I know is that she keeps her distance and she is quick as air, but she will not get in the way if we leave her alone. She¡¯s the one who told us to leave, and when the wall would open back up.¡±

    Colonel Uthman interrogated Sator with his eyes. ¡°What did she help you with?¡±

    ¡°She traded us a golden cup for a pouch and a canteen. Asked us to keep it a secret. So we did.¡±

    ¡°Now the entire city knows about her and is eager to steal the mask and loot the ruins.¡±

    Sator furrowed his brow. ¡°Ani?¡±

    Uthman nodded.

    ¡°So you will be accompanying my party? Do you have supplies or money to acquire them.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    ¡°Very well. We leave from Platform 9 on the 11th. Dawn.¡±

    Sator nodded and Colonel Uthman frustratedly gestured for him to leave. Not another word spoken, Sator found a room in an inn and waited until the 11th. The day came fast, and no time wasted. The officer party boarded the train with five mules, ample water and food, rope, iodine, emergency supplies, and guns.

    The following day, the platform bustled full of disorderly men and a few women. Some military men found a group with a couple scholars, well-kept tradesmen, fur traders, and hunters. They kept a great distance from others. That rest of the crowd was far from trustworthy. Rotten traders, sly dealers, thieves, beggars, con men, criminals- desperate and greedy all of them. A crew of privateers and a cohort of pirates seeking the same riches, setting out on the same voyage.

    The gaunt, disheveled, and vindictive Anilee eye which group she would stay with. She had only eaten fruit, raw vegetables, and burnt food for weeks. All her money had disappeared and spite drove her every action. The map was safe with a suitor she enticed and hid in the safe crowd, then she made a copy for good measure that was stuck in a broken seam of her dress. Anilee climbed onto a bench and began briefing.

    ¡°Attention all treasure hunters!¡± Every word carried a certain poison to the enticing promises. ¡°There will be treasure enough in the ruins that everyone here leaves rich, but you have to catch the woman from the sketch. You will see her, and you will also see a fox. The fox is not your ally. It will try to trick you and scare you. Ignore it. I will distribute roles on the train. Be good at something or you¡¯re only worthwhile as a mule. The haze blocks the ruins, so don¡¯t think about trying to get ahead of the party. If anyone tries to get ahead or cause mutiny, I give everyone here permission to leave them behind in the woods. If anyone here tries to harm me, you will be tried and sentenced to death by my father, Colonel Uthman.¡± Then she thought of a cunning lie to secure her safety and possibly some reverence. ¡°But if you acquire the mask and bring it to me, I will give you my hand in marriage, and you will marry into one of the wealthiest families in New Heraldsburg. Now, who wants to get rich?¡±

    A hurrah charged through the crowd, with it a surge of pride in Anilee. Like a queen in charge of such a large group, and they all needed her to get to the ruins. The intoxicating thought of such power brought a sick, devious grin to her face that she could no longer hide.

    Anilee knew with this, that she would finally claim her rightful place in history.

 Of truly wise mind has nothing he hates.

    It seemed sudden, how the days slipped away and Illus found himself nearing the end of summer, when the comet would arrive and rivers would dry. When the new world would bear down on Imahken and never relent.

    ¡°Is she still on your mind?¡± Ciun tapped her toes against the water at the shaded edge of the lake, lightly mimicking the ¡°plish plash¡± sounds a few times before turning her attention to the young man seated beside her.

    Illus fell out of a daydream, fishing rod in one hand, the ring fumbling between his fingers in the other. ¡°Oh, I just fuss with this when I¡¯m bored,¡± he lied, frustrated that Anilee still lingered in his head.

    ¡°When you¡¯re bored and missing her?¡± She tapped the back of his hand with ease.

    He sighed, Ciun¡¯s constant prying like pins on his skin. He hardly noticed at first until she had picked him apart. Making light of it was the only way he avoided falling into self pity. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. It¡¯s more like¡­ hmm. Do you ever feel like you¡¯re just not going anywhere in life? Like you¡¯re stuck in the same place and everyone is moving on without you?¡±

    Her lighthearted expression fell flat and the mask turned out to the lake, then the mountain that was once a flourishing temple, the trees which had grown over her home, then herself, static in time. ¡°No, what¡¯s that like?¡±

    Illus smirked guiltily. ¡°Nevermind it, I didn¡¯t mean to-¡±

    Ciun couldn¡¯t fight the corner of her mouth down. ¡°No, please, enlighten me about this feeling that I¡¯ve somehow missed out on in my short life.¡±

    He pocketed the ring and chuckled away from her. ¡°It¡¯s like that pit in the bottom of your stomach,¡± he glanced at Ciun, who was nodding along, acting like it was all new information. ¡°You find out your younger sister is married and going to be well on with her life while you¡¯re still hung up on a woman without a care for anything other than herself, leading you along aimlessly like a child. When you¡¯re stuck in a place where your only aspirations in life are working for a living, and working for a loving, so to speak- of which both would replace you in a heartbeat. And now you¡¯re imprisoned in a futile game with the odds stacked so far against you that it may be more lucrative to simply leap from the mountain. Even if I make it back¡­ I¡¯m back to it.¡± Illus¡¯s eyes fell. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s an awfully dismal way of seeing things, I suppose.¡±

    The mask turned to the ground for a moment as Ciun lifted sand and watched it fall. ¡°Yet you still persist. Why is that?¡±

    ¡°No matter how thin those odds are, they slowly grow the more I act according to my will. I had next to no chance, infinitesimally small- if at all- before you agreed to help me. But there is a way forward, and as long as I know it¡¯s there, I¡¯ll always try to find it.¡±

    She laid back in the sand. ¡°Then what¡¯s there to worry about?¡±

    ¡°How it goes, obviously. I don¡¯t have the luxury of returning to life when I am gravely injured. I want to prepare myself for any possible obstacle.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re prepared?¡±

    ¡°As much as I can be.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s worrying going to do besides sour the present?¡±

    ¡°As I said,¡± he pulled his line back and recast, ¡°what home will look like, who might be coming, what I left behind¡­ it¡¯s all approaching so quickly.¡±

    ¡°Is that why your eyes sag even after I lent you my mountain getaway?¡±

    He gritted his teeth. No response.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± she propped herself up on an arm and turned to him. ¡°I was in a similar position a while ago.¡±

    ¡°A while as in a year or a while as in before my civilization had begun?¡±

    ¡°The details don¡¯t matter.¡± She bit her cheek. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to recall most things until they¡¯re brought up when you reach my age. But I found myself scared and worrying all the time. Who will be coming next? What would my family think about me now? What would my city think of me? Admittedly, there are some scars that never fully heal, but¡­¡± she paused, staring at Illus. ¡°You reminded me what living feels like. How much I can experience in a single moment once I open myself to the world. The feeling that keeps me going when I¡¯m alone with myself for centuries on end. I forgot that I could feel that with somebody else.¡±

    Illus side-eyed her, a twinge of irritation creeping into his chest whenever his eyes met the mask. He envied her lackadaisical manner. ¡°Must be a nice feeling, but I can¡¯t just toss away all my worries.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re missing the point.¡±

    ¡°Am I, now?¡±

    ¡°Worries and regrets only exist in your head. They come and go, but you have to let them go to be present.¡±

    ¡°Am I not present?¡±

    ¡°Presently drifting away, fiddling with that ring like all that fuss in your head is trying to find a way out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that.¡±

    She reached out to him, gently setting her hand on his. ¡°I¡¯m only saying this¡­ because you¡¯re not grounded. That¡¯s my half of the bargain, right? Same as you need me to trust you to be faithful, I need you to trust me on this.¡±

    ¡°Ground myself.¡± Illus laid back in the sand next to her, turning his hand around so their fingers were on each other¡¯s palms. ¡°What do you do?¡±

    ¡°Just breathe and feel what your body is feeling. Don¡¯t overthink it. Don¡¯t think at all. Trust yourself. Trust that when the time comes, you will know how to act. And if you don¡¯t trust yourself, you¡¯re not grounded.¡±

    Illus turned to Ciun, the sunbathed sand warming his whole body. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of what¡¯s to come?¡±

    ¡°I will be. We¡¯ll face that fear when we see it. But there¡¯s no use in being scared, worried, or anxious now. Now, when we have all of this to bask in.¡±

    She stretched her hand out to the scene around. Chirping birds and gentle lapping of water against sand. Sweet, floral pollen in the light breeze and warm sand against his back. The sun radiating heat onto his tired face. And a strange sensation in his chest, a light, airy breath of peace every time he saw Ciun. Her silky long hair sprawled out on the sand beneath her. That little mouth with pretty lips which would stretch into such bright expressions, that mouth which smiled warmer than the sun. Her pale skin, now slightly suntanned, wrapped loosely in the sun bleached, weathered blue nightgown. Her sand-covered feet swayed side to side like leaves in the wind. Her always reassuring words for when he doubted himself. The cheerful air she brought with her whenever they were together that always seemed to overpower whatever struggles he was facing. And the ivory fox mask, obscuring all but her mouth and cheeks. Ornately littered with geometric designs of gold and blue.

    That strange sensation, like everything made sense when he was with her. Like all those worries were simply just worries. Yet the anxiety never left¡­ or it manifested in a different way now, because of her.

    Illus couldn¡¯t help the light smile that his cheeks seemed to naturally allow. He shook his head, the fluttering in his chest letting him know that it was already too late.

    ¡°There you are,¡± she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s easier to be like this when everything makes sense. Just thinking about home, about her, it makes me feel like I haven¡¯t done enough even though there¡¯s nothing more I can do.¡±

    Ciun brushed her hair in her fingers. ¡°Every time somebody else arrives, I find myself slipping back into the same old habits of distance and fear. I was almost too late for you. But I¡¯m glad you woke me up.¡±

    ¡°It reminds me of the fox¡¯s mirages, living as a slave of reaction, no sight of myself.¡±

    ¡°I warned you to keep an eye on yourself.¡±

    ¡°You did,¡± he chuckled, ¡°you did. By the way, it just occurred to me that I keep forgetting to ask, but when did you take that nightgown?¡±

    She pursed her lips in a smile. ¡°You were having an argument by the mosaic, the pack was on the ground, and she was getting on my nerves so I snuck in behind you all and took it.¡±

    ¡°Hah, I¡¯m glad I wasn¡¯t the only one getting frustrated at her.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she leaned in to gossip, ¡°I was mad at her for you, especially after everything I heard¡­ everything.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you flashed your shoulder?¡±

    ¡°A little jealousy served her well. I thought it might help you get closer when you¡­¡± her voice fell, ¡°get out.¡±

    He took the opportunity to change the subject from Anilee. ¡°Does anybody ever get out of here?¡±

    Her hand halted in her hair as she thought. ¡°Only if they leave before the mist. They never make it far if they¡¯ve fallen to the fox. It always comes back with some trophy of them to gloat with. If they get stuck, well, you know what happened to you. But they usually have less¡­ noble motivations.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you think I¡¯m noble?¡± Illus played the compliment up.

    She paused. ¡°Be honest, you didn¡¯t care that much about treasure or the ruins, did you?¡±

    Illus shook his head. ¡°I figured treasure and acclaim would be a nice benefit, but¡­ you know what brought me here.¡± His expression had been slowly souring the longer they spoke of Ani, but only now did Ciun notice it.

    Ciun tapped his forehead, which caught him severely off guard. Laying beside him, propped up on her other arm, her radiant smile brimming with bashfulness. ¡°I¡¯m glad it was you.¡±

    His frozen expression chuckled itself away as he got lost staring at her. ¡°I could stay here forever.¡± Then he stammered, realizing how forward it sounded. ¡°It¡¯s s-so peaceful. Serene.¡±

    She paused, unsure of what he meant and anxious to assume it was about her. ¡°As in¡­¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Life is so simple here. Some friends and other things to occupy my spare time wouldn¡¯t hurt, but it¡¯s so unlike the city in such a wonderful way.¡±

    ¡°I think I understand.¡± She sat up, eyes to the far shore. ¡°I loved meeting new people in the city streets. They were so bright and beautiful. We all loved home so much, and everyone was so happy. Life was so easy. It was bliss.¡± A melancholy air returned to her. ¡°But for as fun and easy as it was, I would be happy just to work in the orchards for the rest of my days. I hope one day, even after I am gone from here, that these lands can flourish and joy may yet be found from my labor.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you like painting?¡±

    Her face flushed, spare hand curling her hair. ¡°It is. I want people to glimpse a place or a person they¡¯ve never seen, to give them new life in fresh minds. I want to make people feel something when they see what I¡¯ve made, even long after I am gone. I hope Enae¡¯s mural makes it out at least. The fairest face in Imahken, maybe, but I did her no justice. I could never capture the radiance of her smile, the energy she brought to a room, the love she gave everyone she met.¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± Illus set the journal and pencil beside Ciun. ¡°That journal has everything I¡¯ve recorded about these ruins in it. It will be the first research to leave this place, God willing I get out. Draw to your heart¡¯s content.¡±

    Ciun raised the journal careful as a newborn, ¡°are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I have nothing more to put in it. I¡¯ve recorded what you¡¯ve shown and told me, what is still here, and the darker parts of these ruins. Leave a little light for those ahead of us.¡±

    She hovered the pencil over an empty page, ¡°now I have no clue what to draw.¡±

    ¡°What do you want people to see from Imahken? What did you love about it?¡±

    The mask turned toward the shoreline and held still while Ciun bit her cheek. Then, with a jolt of inspiration, she swept her hand through the air. A bright, sunny day like they were already in, except all of the trees were in the midst of their autumnal reds, oranges, and yellow. Fallen leaves speckled the lake and carved pumpkins lined a dock extending out before them. Wooden boats of all sizes rowed and sailed displaying carved pumpkins, gourds, and bright paintings. Imahks in their bright robes, the same colors of the leaves, played music from their boats, sharing drinks and selling goods boatside.

    Then out on the busy dock ran a family of blue-haired and eyed people, all except the portly father and his red head of stringy hair. The mother lifelessly walked forward, the only one of the bunch without a sense of joy. Seven children were alongside them. The whole family dressed in pristine white robes, lightly billowing in the brisk autumn wind. A baby boy in the mother¡¯s arms and newborn in a pack on her back. A young girl rode atop the father¡¯s shoulders, arms outstretched to scare her two older brothers who ran down the dock to a man selling bread from a rowboat. Meanwhile, a short-haired girl only slightly older than the boys was reaching into the water in tears. Only one faced backward, a girl of maybe ten years leaping up and down with a cheery smile, beckoning Ciun to follow.

    Illus turned to Ciun, unmoving, a trembling smile forced up her cheeks and a shade of a young girl ahead of her, afraid to step onto the dock.

    The moment froze.

    Her hand lightly trembled before it closed tightly around the pencil. ¡°Life was so much nicer before we knew of the fox¡¯s ways. Now that I see it, I can hardly capture it at all. Nothing can rival a memory, not even the greatest artist. But maybe¡­¡± she wiped her cheek. ¡°Maybe I can capture the essence of it.¡±

    Illus marveled at the intricately detailed lake, from the people waving out windows of brightly painted houses on the far side of the lake to the trout choking on her sister¡¯s wooden doll.

    ¡°Love is in the details, isn¡¯t it? The little things that most people wouldn¡¯t pay mind to.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, but it was quite the spectacle too.¡± She chuckled. ¡°You should have seen it at night when the pumpkins were lit by candles. How they speckled the water so. Not the safest thing to do on boats, but I suppose the danger made it more fun.¡± Her nostalgic tone sobered itself, her drawing hand falling back into a tremble. ¡°I often wonder if my memories are true, or if I¡¯ve convinced myself that this is how it was like after thousands of years reminiscing, desiring this nostalgic memory that never existed at all. If it¡¯s a dream or truly the past.¡±

    ¡°True or conceived, it¡¯s a moment brimming with love for what was. There¡¯s enough of the fox and the fall in that journal. You ought to show what good came from Imahken, else the world will think of you and everyone of your home as evil.¡±

    The mask turned to him, softly smiling. ¡°Perhaps. I hope the people of the future like our Departed Souls Day festivities.¡±

    And in silence, she drew away. For the rest of the day, that vision sat still in time before them, Enae¡¯s outstretched hand beckoning them onward until finally she shimmered back into memory.

    Evening finally closed in and Ciun placed her hand on his, a somber sense of duty in her voice. ¡°The comet is coming soon. We¡¯ll move when the fox is occupied with whoever shows on the other side.¡± She shifted in on herself, her already soft voice falling softer somehow. ¡°Can you meet me atop the mountain at dusk?¡±

    Illus nodded, his belongings retrieved. ¡°Of course. What for?¡±

    She opened her mouth, yet no words spoke free.

    ¡°Is it a matter of the mask?¡±

    Ciun shook her head, the mask angled down like she was afraid to see him. ¡°I¡¯ll send you up tonight. So make sure to clean and put on your best.¡±

    He raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°Okay.¡±

    With a flick to his lower back, Illus soared into the air, almost seeming to float upward. He had gotten more used to the sensation by now, but it was still a little uncomfortable.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    When he reached the top, he entered the lower chamber, noticing some odds and ends missing, including her work-in-progress robes. In terms of clothes, Illus had a tattered shirt and pants that he wore the first day, and the clothes he was wearing today, which he had worn nearly every day. Or so he thought. On the bed sat his tattered outfit, repaired with the immaculate expertise of a millennium-old sewer. His tan collared shirt and brown slacks. Simple, but they would have to do. For what? He had no clue.

    Once dusk fell, Illus stepped out onto the mountaintop. He was greeted by a clear sky, dotted by millions of twinkling stars and the luminous full moon. He glanced around, waiting for Ciun to show.

    ¡°Ciun?¡± He stepped toward the ledge overlooking the lake. She was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°What mortal have I here?¡± Her voice reverberated powerfully, reminiscent of when she first spoke to him as a sorceress. ¡°Turn and show thyself.¡±

    Illus fought back a smirk, not sure what was going on, then turned around.

    There Ciun floated in the air, a spectacle of majesty. Her billowing white robes glowed in the moonlight. Long, flowy sleeves extended past her hands and ended in wavy mesh that melded into the sky behind her. Her shoulders were exposed- that scandalous Ciun- remarkably pale with noticeable suntan lines at her neck, but only showing to the tops of her collarbones before the robes descended into a loose, billowing, light design down to her bare feet. She shone like an angel in her simple elegance, an ethereal blue glow about her from the moonlight reflecting off her hair, loose and swaying down her back. Ciun¡¯s air of mystique, her aloof smile and unreadable mask only enticed Illus into staring further.

    Her mask¡¯s glowing azure eyes met Illus¡¯s awestruck expression. He suddenly felt very underdressed. His silvery gray eyes had a similar brilliance to her glowing dress. His hair had grown much longer, tied back into a messy tail that fell down his neck. Yet his form, Ciun silently admired, happy that he could not see her eyes so blatantly checking him out. So much starving left him chiseled and lean, but he looked so much healthier, fuller now. His shirt and pants hugged him in all the right places. She wondered how Anilee had ignored it all for so long, because she certainly couldn¡¯t. But the confident air about him is what got to her, a casual slant to his proper posture, those inquisitive eyes like he was still trying to solve her, then that slightly cocky smile like he knew something she didn¡¯t.

    The starry sky seemed to spin as the air between charged with subtle electricity, a yearning for each other clouded by the slim possibility of hidden intentions. But that mystery only made them want to dare further. Neither was sure, or perhaps they both feared to admit, but over the past few months, they had become quite drawn to each other.

    Yet they each found such peace in the odd anxiety that arose every time they met eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask one last time,¡± Ciun seduced, letting her mouth hang subtly open, ¡°what mortal have I here?¡±

    He decided to play along and see where this was going. ¡°Illus Hayshon, sniper. Am I to believe you¡¯re the rumored sorceress of these ruins, Ciun? Are you not a deceptress aiming to steal away my mind?¡±

    A fake Ciun laughed from below her, then dissipated into the wind as another appeared to speak from behind him. ¡°Do I need to deceive you, or will you play nice?¡±

    As it disappeared, suddenly her breath warmed the inside of his ear. ¡°How do you know you are not under my spell already?¡±

    Illus¡¯s mind froze for a moment, the sudden closeness of the false whisper catching him off guard by its chilling sensuality. ¡°¡®Play nice?¡¯ Is this part of your game?¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°Think of it like a game all you want, but I believe I owe you some magic.¡±

    Illus¡¯s eyes perked up and confidence took hold of him. ¡°As you wish, sorceress. I¡¯ll play along, for now.¡±

    Ciun drifted lower to him. Her normal, casual smile was now deviously playful in a way that only drew him closer. ¡°Take my hand.¡±

    Ciun slowly floated down and held out her hand to him. He reached out and took it as though accepting an invitation to dance and suddenly he was lighter than air, clumsily trying to balance himself from walking too strongly. He floated toward Ciun and she spun around him, that smile locked on him, her hair fluttering like an afterimage.

    Suddenly, she was gone- or rather he was soaring through the air, being pulled along by her hand. Above him the starry sky and below, yet more starry sky. Over the lake, slowly descending, all the hairs on the back of his neck stood up at the worry of the magic ending over the lake.

    Then she righted him for the impact. Ciun landed like a leaf on the surface of the water while Illus¡¯s boots clumsily stumbled to find purchase on the shifting floor. Trying not to pull Ciun around or let go, he flailed until she raised her arm to hold him up. His chin tapped the mask and suddenly he was staring directly into the mask¡¯s azure eyes, barely a foot away.

    ¡°Let go,¡± she smirked, softly uttering the terms of the game, ¡°and you¡¯ll be lost to the depths. Take my mask, and we¡¯ll drown in each other¡¯s embrace. So don¡¯t make me let you let go.¡± Her voice trembled slightly at the end, hand tightly clutching his despite her cool demeanor.

    Illus tapped and danced trying to stand on the rippling water, ¡°easy for you to say.¡±

    ¡°Shh,¡± she grabbed his other hand, ¡°feel the water trust that I won¡¯t let you fall.¡±

    He glanced down at the swaying stars and the reflection of himself. They were hundreds of feet from the sandy shore. Ciun lightly caressed her thumb against the side of his hand more to calm herself than anything, but that only seemed to worsen a storm of tense jitters taking over.

    Illus returned her smile and took a deep breath. ¡°Don¡¯t you get cold feet either.

    She said nothing, but her mouth was pursed tight, their closeness seeming to cause her entire body to tighten as if she was fighting the urge to duck and run.

    A worried chuckle crept up on Illus. ¡°You¡¯re not actually getting cold feet, are you?¡±

    Ciun¡¯s confident facade shattered and her voice became a stuttering mess of quickfire words, the mask looking down, twisted back and forth to keep tallies on his hands. ¡°Yes. No! I- My-y feet are- my toes are touching the water and it¡¯s incredibly cold- that¡¯s it.¡±

    Her hands turned noticeably clammy and struggled to hold on. Illus began to fear she might lose grip on nerves alone. He relaxed his hold on her hands to just two fingers and a thumb each, putting more space between them.

    Then her left hand wrapped around his, forcing their fingers back to an interwoven hold.

    Illus softened his voice, gently rubbing the hand she was struggling to hold. ¡°Little steps, shall we?¡± He lightly rocked his body, setting a rhythm that his clumsy boots could sway to.

    Ciun breathed deeply and forced a smile despite her tense nerves. ¡°How about a song?¡±

    The chilly air vibrated around them until light, soft chimes in a slow tempo rang. Gradually, an upbeat piano joined them alongside deep, somber strings. Low, rolling drums cascaded beneath everything, filling the song with energy. Their feet followed the cadence of the chimes, one two, one two, one two three- and so on. Illus and Ciun circled, warming to the touch of each other.

    With his eyes watching his own two feet carefully and such distance between the two, he failed to notice the mask, trained on his face, carefully observing his every movement

    Suddenly, Ciun¡¯s fearful hand clutched his, not closing any distance, but pulling him into step with her, swallowing her fear. ¡°Are you ready to pick up the pace?¡±

    Illus raised his eyebrows. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°This song isn¡¯t easy, are you sure you can keep up?¡±

    ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    She fell out of rhythm as a thought gripped her mind.

    Illus¡¯s boot landed on her toes, his eyes locked on her. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sor-¡±

    The drums immediately ramped up into a chaotic bridge, high-pitched strings joining the orchestra. The chimes quickened in pace as the piano fell away. Ciun pulled Illus along right to left. Right foot behind left and vice versa were the steps. Arms outstretched, pulling in and out with the directions they rapidly switched between.

    Illus¡¯s feet fumbled to keep up, music growing stronger, faster. The strings and chimes rose to a peak that came crashing into a sudden melody of mid and high tone piano. Like the sound of waves crashing on a shore while the patter of a rainstorm fluttered behind them.

    The dance flew into spins. Ciun¡¯s feet tapped tiny ripples in quick succession, still moving right to left. Illus¡¯s feet lifted from the water, unable to keep pace with her, and he found himself in line with the water below, his feet level with his head.

    Ciun challenged him with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s it? I may have to let go or you¡¯re going to pull me off balance.¡± Her confidence returned and Illus lost grip.

    Light as a feather, he floated upward, away from her. ¡°Ciun, I don¡¯t know the steps or the music! I¡¯m hardly a dancer as is!¡±

    Suddenly, she was before him. Her hands clutched his again as they slowly drifted back to the water. The melody ended, returning to its initial chimes, though softer.

    ¡°So you weren¡¯t ready?¡±

    Their feet touched water and Illus thanked his lucky stars that she still held on. ¡°I never said I was.¡±

    ¡°Is it confident courage, or rash recklessness?¡±

    He smirked. ¡°Depends on the need.¡±

    Ciun tilted her head playfully, inspired by his willingness to jump into the unknown. ¡°Of course, of course. You know, everyone in Imahken could do the ronulo. An easier song, perhaps? Maybe one for children?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you think I can do.¡±

    She held both of their hands outward, feet planted on the water. ¡°Hands out and keep your feet rocking. Back and forth, heel to toe, toe to heel. We would all stand in lines, back to back with other partners, so you had to know the steps and the rhythm.¡±

    Illus swayed back and forth, in and out. ¡°Is this it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the first part. Now you step while rocking. Since I¡¯m leading, I step forward with my right, and you back with your left. Then you step forward with your right, then left. Simple.¡±

    The lightly ringing chimes set a jaunty pace. One two, drum. One two, drum. A speedy, energetic and high piano joined in with some quick, feathery flutes. The music was hard to keep up with for Illus, and between the stepping and simultaneous rocking, Ciun gradually slowed the music to make it easier for him.

    He soon matched pace with the song, though he struggled to rock and step at the same time. Ciun, however, bounded in and out with every step, giving the dance a flighty, fluid feel.

    Illus chuckled. ¡°Your dancing shoes have seen a lot more use than mine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± her head fell slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve been dancing by myself for so long. Planting seeds I practice steps. Leaping from the peak I spin. Maybe it¡¯s strange, I never cared. Life feels so much better when you treat the world like a ballroom. When you flow with the rhythms of nature in menial day-to-day life.¡±

    ¡°Menial?¡± He raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Caring for your ruins is a grander task than you make it seem.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not mine.¡± Her head fell. ¡°They belong to the forest. To time. My home only exists because of this eternal prison. I shouldn¡¯t be here, nor should they. But because these ruins and I exist, I will preserve their memory so that none may suffer from the fox¡¯s whims again.¡±

    Illus¡¯s heart sank, but it also began to race. ¡°Well, then when I end this, how about you and I carry their memory back to the world together? Give them the peace they deserve, not just in the journal.¡±

    ¡°I-¡± Ciun stumbled, quickly catching herself. ¡°Do I¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    A long breathe escaped her. ¡°Do I really deserve to be at peace, to be happy, to live and walk away after all I have done?¡±

    Illus wasn¡¯t sure what to say, further unsure as her steps slowed to a halt.

    Her grip loosened on Illus¡¯s hands, voice shaking. ¡°Is it life if it never ends? Can I ever truly cherish it as much as somebody beheld to death, or am I a mockery, a pretender?¡±

    Illus forced a smile through his somber mood. ¡°You¡¯re alive now, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re more than the person you were before, even since I arrived. You ought to take your own advice, Ciun. Don¡¯t be swept away by regret, untrusting of yourself. You have to trust yourself if you¡¯re going to trust in turn- and I hope you can trust me. I trust you, and I¡¯m happy you¡¯re here with me now. I¡¯ll be your dance partner any time, wherever and however you want to dance.¡±

    Ciun paused, hands finding more comfort in Illus¡¯s grip, the melancholy air blown away. ¡°If I am to join your people¡¯s way of life, then could teach me one of your dances.¡±

    ¡°It would be my pleasure. I know one you¡¯ll like. It¡¯s very simple, so even far off kingdoms and countries can share a dance.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, what do you call it?¡±

    ¡°The waltz.¡±

    ¡°Do you do the children¡¯s version of this one too?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re funny.¡±

    The mask bashfully angled downward, but Illus sensed her focus elsewhere, like she was still unsure.

    ¡°We call it ¡®box stepping.¡¯ When I move my feet, you mirror my steps in reverse.¡± He began the instructions, moving as he spoke. ¡°So back with your right, then cross your left, meet with your right. Step forward with left, then cross right, and finally meet. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Simple as that. However¡­¡± He stopped moving, pulling his right hand free and moving her other arm out. ¡°My arm needs to be over yours, on your shoulder, and yours under mine¡­¡± He noticed trepidation in her rigid stance. ¡°...unless you want to do the children¡¯s version.¡±

    She bit her lip at the subtle jab, but despite her quickening heartbeat and trembling hand, she reached out and set her hand on his side.

    Illus slowly brushed her hair aside, and set his hand atop her trembling arm. He halted before his hand found purchase, ¡°Ciun, you can ease the death grip on my hand.¡±

    She collected her breath and lightened her touch, the rigidity slowly returning despite her best efforts. Illus lowered his right hand to her bare shoulder, noticing how she shook at the lightest touch. Ciun quickly pulled her arm out and set her hand on his, the mask turned away.

    After several thousand years of nothing, the sensation of a hand on her bare shoulder was enough to make her scream and soar away. But when Illus pulled his hand back, Ciun held it down, forcing out words between quick breaths. ¡°D-don¡¯t. Leave it. I¡¯ll warm up.¡±

    He softened his voice, putting on a more comforting tone. ¡°A consistent tempo would suit this dance, if you have one. Piano, strings, and flutes, perhaps some brass as well. Something slow, intimate, triple meter.¡±

    Her left hand twitched and a finger lifted. The music from before shifted into a light violin tune underscored with deep strings and light flutes that soothed their minds. Ciun¡¯s hand stayed in place as their feet picked up, and her attention was so pulled by the sensation of his hand on her shoulder that she stumbled, forcing Illus to pause so he didn¡¯t step on her toes.

    Ciun, still angling her face away from his hand, seemed to be watching his feet while little shocks flinched in her every time his hand shifted a little.

    ¡°Ciun,¡± Illus reassured her, ¡°focus on the dance or we¡¯ll have bruised toes come morning.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what anyone would-¡± she stopped herself, the mask slightly turning back toward him. ¡°We¡¯re not spinning right now, are we?¡±

    ¡°No, just breathe and step.¡±

    Gradually her steps became more sure and she fell into cadence with Illus. The mask finally returned to looking up at him. His moonlit face and glowing white hair gave her the confidence to let his hand go, to slide her arm beneath his, and gently lower her cheek to meet the back of his hand. A freeing smile broke out with a relieved breath, her cheek caressing the back of his hand. His reassuring smile instilled her with a joy she didn¡¯t know she had lost.

    ¡°Now,¡± Illus straightened his posture and stepped in closer, ¡°are you ready for the fun part? I promise I¡¯ll try not to step on your toes.¡±

    Ciun nodded fervently, her anxiety dissipating into excitement.

    ¡°I may spin you, I may pull you close, I may go one-handed at times, but I won¡¯t let you go.¡±

    She shifted the music into a more extravagant melody of crying strings and tiptoeing piano that melded in and out of each other, rising and falling like gusts of wind and rustling leaves swirling together.

    Illus carried her in a small circle, then spun her out before he pulled her right back in, sliding behind her. He caught her with her arms crossed over one another, completely vulnerable. And yet she didn¡¯t resist. In fact, she leaned closer, peering up at him, though some tremors stole away any attempt to be smooth. Illus turned her around and held her in their starting position just as the melody softened, but he sensed an upcoming crescendo, strings, flutes, slowly joining in as the piano fluttered beneath them. Chimes seemed to slip their way in, or perhaps Ciun couldn¡¯t help herself from the sound that comforted her so. They continued their box steps as it rose, the instruments slowly building like a wave about to crash on the shore.

    Illus slid his arm behind Ciun, who straightened in surprise. Then he lifted her and bent his knees, leaping with all the strength in his body. His legs sank into the water with incredible quickness that caught him in surprise and promptly jettisoned them both upward in a burst that sent them soaring like a bullet into the sky. Illus pulled Ciun closer, the trees disappeared from around them, then Illus followed the side of the mountain up until it was no longer beside him. They spun, upside down and sideways, unevenly soaring up into the night. The building instruments suddenly ceased, making way for silence graced by sporadic, slow, light chimes that speckled the serene soundscape.

    Bodies pressed, hands interwoven, and tightly grasping each other, they floated weightlessly into the darkness of night, surrounded by nothing but speckles of light.

    Awestruck, Illus took in the expanse around him. His eyes traced lines between the stars, losing track of where he started as new, faint twinkles dotted everywhere he saw. The chilling breeze held them aloft, warmed only by each other¡¯s bodies.

    Ciun heard nothing save for her own heartbeat. Before her, touching her, holding her with the brightest smile on his skyward face, this man who came crashing into her dreamlike droning life, who reminded her what living felt like. She had seen the stars so high more times than she could count, but she could have sworn it was the first time she¡¯d seen something she loved so much.

    A sense of peace and clarity befell Ciun. She thought about what to do next, but she realized she had stopped thinking long before he leapt. And those thoughts began creeping back despite what her body was doing.

    Had trusting her feelings been the right thing to do?

    Had she not taken his hand and trusted him to leap, she would have never seen a sight that drew her in so much.

    Had she not thoughtlessly strained her magic to keep them afloat, she never would have had the opportunity to caress his hand and pull his gaze.

    Had she not leaned closer and raised her chin, he never would have tenderly kissed her lips.

    There, weightlessly spinning in the air, Illus gently pressed his lips to hers. All tension in both their bodies fell away with the ground. They floated among the stars, who cheerfully ceded the celestial stage to Illus and Ciun.

    She held them in the sky despite her waning consciousness. Ciun wanted to feel that moment as deeply as she could so she could perfectly recall it forever after. The softness of each other''s lips. His tender, firm hold on her. Simply being in a warm embrace and feeling another person after thousands of years was more than she ever imagined.

    ¡°Are you sure this is no dream,¡± her voice crept out as if sleep was close behind, ¡°that I will not wake and all of this will disappear in a moment?¡±

    ¡°I could never forget something so sweet as this.¡±

    Ciun¡¯s grip fell slack and her head fell to his shoulder, the magic¡¯s strain slipping with slumber.

    Illus pulled back, worriedly holding her while they began descending. ¡°Ciun? Ciun, are you okay?¡±

    Ciun¡¯s head lazily fell back, struggling to stay upright when she uttered a whisper. ¡°The mountain.¡±

    She waved her arm, gently propelling them toward the bald peak. Like petals, they drifted downward as Ciun¡¯s mind drifted off. Illus lifted her into his arms, her masked face pressed against his chest. He peddled his feet in the air as if walking down an invisible staircase.

    Soon enough, his feet met stone and weight returned to them. Between the puffy ivory robe and her slender weightless body, he may as well have been carrying a fragile cloud. With a final glance to the sparkling tapestry of space, he set off toward the lower chamber.

    ¡°You do not take it.¡± The fox¡¯s voice called out from somewhere in the darkness. ¡°Illus the unfit.¡±

    Illus scanned the surrounding mountain, then caught a glimpse of the blue fox, slithering through the air around the peak. ¡°Call me what you will, but even if her love is a lie, it¡¯s quite the spell she has me under.¡±

    Suddenly, a rush of adrenaline took hold of Illus, amplifying his sense of emotion. His muscles twitched and his mind aimlessly begged him to do something, anything.

    So he laughed.

    A low, wry chuckle that broke into crying hysterics until he opened his eyes, and met the eyes of the mask, still against his chest. He couldn¡¯t see behind it. He didn¡¯t want to.

    ¡°I must thank you fox, because without this curse, without you, without the mask, without the clues, I never would have been able to know her. Perhaps it¡¯s selfish of me to say that, but I can¡¯t wait to leave here with her after you¡¯re wished away.¡±

    The fox blankly stared, a hollow darkness like catacombs¡¯ depths in its eyes. Then a tiny cackle slipped out, a scale from low to high, breaking free into silent wheezing as the fox contorted its face in sick pleasure, swirling in the air.

    ¡°You always make me laugh!¡± It called out. ¡°Never without a gaffe!¡±

    Illus¡¯s heart dropped, gaze returning to Ciun, peacefully dreaming in his arms, then back to the fox- no- behind the fox. Illus spotted a distant white streak across the sky. Still the size of a star, but with a brilliantly long tail behind it, like a paintbrush of white was swept behind it. The fox followed his eyes and cut off its cackle.

    ¡°Onward flies your fate. No more time to wait. Take her in that door, and you¡¯ll have declared war. Remove the mask now, she¡¯s eternally yours I vow.¡± The fox pridefully sat upon empty air, awaiting Illus¡¯s response, his action.

    Illus turned away, his legs still shivering from the adrenaline, a cold sweat running down his forehead. His mind was too blurry to trust, still rushing and uncertain. The comet had arrived. The rivers would be drying. Illus set Ciun in her bed and laid on a blanket across the room, then tied a blindfold around his head just to be safe.

    How he wished to stay with her forever, but he realized that such a desire was far from the right one. The fox had inadvertently given him a hint to his request for the comet stone. Perhaps there were more hints in the depths of Illus¡¯s memory, in the fox¡¯s muddy meanings. Illus silently replayed all he remembered about his conversations with the fox until his mind gave in to sleep.

 Ciun of the old world you will meet soon,

    A soft breath caught Ciun¡¯s sleeping ears.

    She shot up from a deep slumber, face flushed and exposed. Her surging heartbeat overpowered the breathing as she instinctively covered her face and found her bearings. In a quick flip of her head, she shrouded her face in a curtain of her hair. It was then that she noticed Illus blindfolded and lying across the chamber- the source of the breathing. She caught her own breath, a trickle of embarrassment showing from whatever dream slowly faded from memory, then picked the mask up from where she had been laying. With a sigh, the fox mask clung to her face as if magnetized.

    Apart from the soft breaths of the sleeping Illus and some crunching of her bed, the chamber was silent. A sense of tranquility slowly set in, idly watching Illus sleep. He seemed so uncomfortable on the granite floor, an old tapestry his only protection from the hard floor. A thought drifted through Ciun¡¯s head, a tender thought of gently lifting him into bed with her and cuddling him until he woke up. She happily entertained it, yearning to feel the same peaceful touch as the night prior, in his arms. But duty outweighed that feeling, and instead she took to the mountaintop.

    It was welling up to be another scorching, dry day of summer. The river would most certainly be drying soon, and she already spied smoke to the distant south. Several small fires worth. A large party, likely.

    The fox hummed the song of his procession while he paced next to the river which was dry as a light brook, very aware that Ciun listened in.

    But Ciun¡¯s ears caught voices to the south and the north- more people. Speaking directly next to the barrier on both sides, amidst the same conversation.

    <hr>

    Past the stone and down the slope there was no river, only shimmering air like heat rising from fire. Sator looked up and down the bank, clueless about where the river went or why the walls of roses were not present. He approached the shimmering air and reached his hand through.

    Upon touching the shimmering air, a force pulled Sator through the space. He lost no balance, as if transported in his pose to the other side. He looked back through the shimmering air to Colonel Uthman, Captain Chitus¡¯s investigation team, and five mules packed full of gear. Colonel Uthman¡¯s mouth moved, but Sator heard nothing. He reached out once more and was immediately returned to the others. The Colonel was in the midst of saying something.

    ¡°-are the ruins, Sator? Do you know what this is?¡±

    Sator scratched the back of his head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear from the other side, but the river is supposed to be here.¡± He pointed to the rippling space. ¡°I think¡­ maybe it pulls you to the other side of the ruins?¡±

    Chitus scratched his sideburn. ¡°When does it open, Sator? The other group is already on our heels! We need to find a way in quickly!¡±

    ¡°Captain,¡± Sator shrugged, a little defensive, ¡°I don¡¯t know the stipulations for when walls of magic disappear according to-to-to a-the water level or what-have-you! She said it opens when it dries and closes when it floods, and the river floods a hell of a lot faster than it dries.¡±

    Uthman put a hand out to silence Chitus. ¡°Sator, what is the fastest entry point to the ruins? Our timing may be barred, but we can capitalize on positioning.¡±

    Sator pointed through the shimmer. ¡°The north side is a lot flatter from what I remember.

    ¡°Then we will enter there and make haste when the walls come down.¡±

    Behind them was the group led by Anilee. ¡°Led¡± would be a bit of a stretch. Anilee did nothing but complain about the scoundrels who answered her call to action. She camped with the more trustworthy crowd, though even they wanted little to do with her, and only put up with her because her suitor had the map. Infighting had been prevented, but several attempts to steal the map and take off on their own led to a small deserter party of thieves who they saw no trace of by the time the sinkholes appeared. New accusations of thievery and mutiny arose every morning. New issues plagued them to no end: supplies running short, men sick, injuries rampant.

    Skepticism about the ruins existing at all permeated through the camp. At every turn, Anilee refused to show anyone the map for fear of mutiny, even when the scholars and soldiers asked to know what terrain they would be encountering. Bound by a lust for treasure, little held the group together. Armed to the teeth with rifles, oil, and blades, tensions sat on a hair trigger between the privateers and the pirates.

    They lagged behind the officer party by a day and several hours, and they slowed every time men fell into sinkholes never to be seen again. Heavy, humid haze rose like death from the catacombs, dread infecting the air around the ruins. They claimed several travelers every day, sometimes by accident, and often by ¡°accident.¡±

    The days dragged on. Dry, hot weather sucked the moisture from everything in the forest. The officer party anxiously sat by the north side, close to the mountain for a vantage point. Anilee¡¯s hodgepodge collection of plunderers crashed through the forest, hacked through every branch and vine between them and fortune, reaching the lone stone where they originally encountered the fox.

    Evening came and the heat swelled. Finally, in a blink, the shimmer flickered away to reveal the dry riverbed.

    The officer party entered without hesitation, easily passing through the dry north river into the ruins until a wall of roses and thorny vines blocked their path.

    Captain Chitus grumbled and stepped up to the wall, hand on his cavalry saber.

    ¡°Captain,¡± Sator called in a whisper, ¡°ask them to part.¡±

    ¡°I am requesting permission to pass,¡± Chitus grumbled.

    A vine defiantly twisted in the air before him. As he gripped his saber and prepared to draw, Sator snuck up beside.

    ¡°Uh, hi, roses, apologies for last time. May we please pass?¡±

    The vine wiggled as if chuckling. A rose popped out of the tip of the vine and fell into Sator¡¯s palm, then they promptly parted.

    Sator swallowed his fear and waved them forward. ¡°Hands on backs like we practiced.¡±

    Uthman drew his rifle. ¡°No firing until we have multiple confirmations on target. Sator first, followed by Chitus¡¯s investigation team, then I¡¯ll take rear.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± all of them said in unison as they crouched and proceeded forward, hands on each other¡¯s backs to counter the fox¡¯s mirages.

    At the south river, the fox took off in a dash toward the rising smoke. He spotted a familiar, welcome sight surrounded by a perfectly unorganized and vulnerable army of wayward treasure hunters.

    ¡°Verily?¡± A smile twisted the fox¡¯s face in sick delight. ¡°Anilee! What luck!¡±

    ¡°Oh ____,¡± Illus groaned from atop the mountain, ¡°of course she¡¯s back.¡±

    Ciun put on a reassuring smile, ¡°the fox just found her. However, several men are approaching from the north end, by the old fishing spot. Your friend Sator, one named Chitus, some investigators, and an older gentleman who seems to be the leader.¡± She gently took Illus¡¯s hand. ¡°The fox is as occupied as we¡¯ll get. Are you ready to go? Do you know what you must ask of the comet?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re good to go.¡±

    ¡°Illus,¡± the mask¡¯s glare held firm on him, ¡°do you know what you must ask?¡±

    He nodded to the side. ¡°I¡¯m close to it, I know that much. There¡¯s some bind, some shackle linking everything together. The magic, or the principle thereof, is the link which will shatter the rest of the chain. Whatever the root of this magic is, that¡¯s the crux of the question.¡±

    ¡°Thinking time is limited now. Unlike me, you can¡¯t dream about it for an eternity,¡± she squeezed his hand, ¡°so I will not blame you for choosing to leave, for choosing life.¡±

    Illus chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve had eternity to think about it, though. You know it, don¡¯t you?¡±

    She was silent, mouth pursed like she held a slew of words back.

    ¡°And you can¡¯t tell me, right?¡±

    Again, nothing.

    Illus nodded. ¡°Let me talk to Sator and the investigators first. The fox will besiege this peak as soon as it catches wind of our heist. They may be able to help defend if we get them up here for the wish. We¡¯ll hop down, have a chat, then get going.¡±

    Hand in hand they leapt to the north river. The officer party crept low to the ground, searching bushes and columns cautiously. They didn¡¯t notice Ciun and Illus until they were on the trail ahead.

    ¡°Morning, gents,¡± Illus pulled his hand away and approached the party.

    Sator¡¯s eyes lit up, but he just clutched his rifle tightly. ¡°Of all the tricks.¡±

    Colonel Uthman called out, ¡°can we get visual confirmation on Illus?¡±

    All the men said yes.

    Ciun spoke up from behind Uthman. ¡°He¡¯s not of the fox.¡±

    Uthman twisted awkwardly trying to keep his hand on the investigator¡¯s back. ¡°And who are you?¡±

    The Ciun behind Uthman shimmered and dissipated into puffs of mist.

    Another Ciun spoke up from atop Uthman¡¯s head, bent at the waist to meet his eyes. ¡°I am the keeper of these ruins.¡±

    The Colonel ducked and the false Ciun drifted away.

    Before he could speak, she continued from behind a bush. ¡°The fox is on the other side with Anilee and her cohort.¡±

    Colonel Uthman¡¯s eyes shot open and he scowled. ¡°What does it want with her?¡±

    Illus interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s probably going to use her to hurt me or interfere once it finds out what we¡¯re doing, which is why I need you to help us, but also get her out. We¡¯ll give you access to the mountain. The peak is safe from the fox¡¯s influence, but we have another task that requires the mountain to remain clear of the others.¡±

    ¡°And why the hell should we do what you say, deserter?!¡± Chitus piped up from his spot, spitting with every word. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest for leaking classified documents.¡±

    ¡°You say deserter,¡± Ciun appeared next to Chitus, ¡°but he had little choice in being stranded here, courtesy of the fox.¡±

    Chitus tried to grab her sleeve, but she blew away into mist. He quickly turned back to Uthman. ¡°I don¡¯t like the looks of this sorceress.¡±

    ¡°Forget that I am here,¡± she walked out from behind Illus. All eyes were on the mask.

    Disbelief slapped Illus¡¯s serious mood away. ¡°The documents? Seriously? Chitus, respectfully, I don¡¯t care about those files right now. They¡¯re only classified on an arbitrary technicality.¡± He put up a hand to quiet Chitus as he finished speaking. ¡°Arrest me when I get back. What I need to make clear, and Sator can attest to this, is that these ruins are incredibly dangerous, especially with more people around. I¡¯ve been here this entire time, following clues and riddles beyond the edge of my sanity, unraveling the story. Fact of the matter: this is the fox¡¯s prison. It ruled an ancient empire through magic and deceit. I have a chance at ending the fox for good, but we need time and a clear mountaintop. Get to the peak or leave, you¡¯ll fall prey to the fox if not.¡±

    Uthman stepped forward, breaking the chain. ¡°Sator mentioned it could deceive our eyes and ears, but what can that fox really do?¡±

    ¡°It will have that group shooting at us within a few deceptions. Stay hidden. I¡¯ve been victim to how it invades your mind. It plants false realities and memories, making you think you¡¯re somewhere you¡¯re not, doing what it wants unwittingly. Its powers here are great, but not nearly the strength from when it clutched her people¡¯s entire empire. If the fox gets out, if anyone takes her mask, it could spell disaster for all civilization.¡±

    Chitus sneered at Illus. ¡°How do we know you¡¯re not under her spell?¡±

    ¡°Chitus,¡± Illus sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t prove it to you other than through action, so let me work.¡±

    Uthman stared intently into Illus¡¯s eyes, reading him closely. His aged eyes were wrinkled beyond his years, but they could parse a speck of madness in an unknowing soldier in a second.

    Illus nodded, a casual smirk crawling up his cheek.

    Uthman sighed away the tense moment. He saw the same Illus in those pale gray eyes, though they seemed older, wiser, and scarred. He set his hand on Chitus¡¯s shoulder, finally reining in the rambunctious officer. ¡°It¡¯s in our best interest to trust Illus. If he knows these ruins, we have no reason not to. And all we have heard about the sorceress is positive thus far.¡± He set a skeptical eye on Ciun.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Sator stepped forward and hugged Illus. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±

    Illus was reluctant to believe Sator was real until he felt the firm clasp of his arms. ¡°You, too. How¡¯s Ty?¡±

    ¡°Good. We thought you were dead. I wish she could see you now, if only just for peace of mind.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s good that she¡¯s not here. This may turn into a warzone soon.¡± He shot a wary look at Uthman. ¡°Colonel, there is no time to waste. If you care about your daughter, get her out.¡±

    ¡°Anilee is her own woman. She will leave or join us according to her own will.¡± For as confident and direct as Uthman was, he struggled to hold eye contact with Illus as he said that.

    Sator turned to Ciun, who was standing still behind Illus. ¡°Did you save him?¡±

    She silently nodded.

    ¡°Thank you. We put the cup to good use.¡± He grabbed Illus¡¯s arm. ¡°We kept hope that you were alive, that you were saved somehow. Tyza¡¯s expecting, living at the house we built. Even got my parents here now.¡±

    Illus¡¯s cheeks stretched wide with joy, his nerves leaving him for a brief moment. He pointed into Sator¡¯s chest. ¡°That is precisely why you will stay safe and hidden. If you die on my sister, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    Sator snickered. ¡°Don¡¯t you die on her either. We got a spare plot with your name on it.¡±

    Without thinking, a stray glance from Illus hit Ciun before he quickly turned back to Sator. She noticed his eyes, turning her face down. But Illus¡¯s heart leapt at seeing Ciun¡¯s bashful smile and noticeably flushed cheeks. He had to fight not to mirror her. ¡°I will never turn down your generosity, but I need to finish this first.¡±

    Sator seemed to key into the odd glance. ¡°How long is this thing of yours going to take?¡±

    Ciun spoke up. ¡°If we hurry now, it will be done tonight.¡±

    ¡°God willing we get out of here,¡± Illus took a deep breath, ¡°she will be joining us.¡± He pointed back to Ciun, who lightly nodded to them.

    ¡°What¡¯s your plan, kid?¡± Chitus wasn¡¯t fully on board, frustratedly trying to cooperate.

    ¡°Do you think it''s safe to say?¡± Illus asked Ciun.

    She paused, then nodded.

    ¡°We go into those catacombs- which, by the way, stay far away from them- and when we return, you¡¯re going to see us with a brilliantly bright glowing orb. It is vital that neither the fox nor anyone else get their hands on it, because that is our only chance of ending this mess. The fox cannot actually harm you. All it can do is trick your senses and afflict you with extreme mental anguish. It also cannot get on the mountain¡¯s peak, which is why it will likely use the others to seize that land. We need to get there with the orb to properly execute this mission.¡±

    Chitus nodded along with Illus¡¯s story, still showing signs of distrust.

    Illus sighed and retrieved a journal. ¡°I¡¯ve got all my on-site research in here. Review it afterward to your liking, but I need it now.¡±

    ¡°Illus,¡± Colonel Uthman commanded, ¡°get going. We need that fox off the field as soon as possible. I trust you have the shot.¡±

    ¡°Always, sir.¡± With a nod to the men, he took Ciun¡¯s hand and they set off toward the gully beneath the bridge.

    ¡°Ciun, what¡¯s the fox telling Anilee and the others?¡±

    ¡°Nothing important aloud. It¡¯s still struggling to get her up the hill.¡±

    Illus recalled the way the fox would tell him things through delusions and dreams, invading his mind to retain secrecy. His eyes caught a rising cloud of black smoke from the river. ¡°What about their responses? Will we run into them?¡±

    A note of melancholy befell her as she led him through brush. ¡°They burned straight through the roses after losing men to them. There are several groups splitting to various locations around the ruins. The louder and more rambunctious groups are beelining for the amphitheater and the mosaic. They¡¯re¡­¡± she paused, casting a glance in the direction of her only lasting memory of her sister. ¡°They¡¯re chiseling the pieces off to sell. Smashing through it to find valuables.¡±

    Illus strengthened his grip on her hand, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I led them here.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she smiled at him, ¡°you are not to blame. All pasts fall to obscurity eventually. You have given me the chance to part from it without regret.¡±

    They reached the entrance to the catacombs, the void of darkness that not even plants would poke their tendrils into. Vines opted to grow over the entrance as if even nature knew those morbid halls were better off sealed away.

    ¡°Ciun,¡± Illus¡¯s hand shook, palm growing clammy, ¡°what will we find in the fox¡¯s domain?¡±

    She halted in place. No words.

    ¡°Anything you can tell me at all?¡±

    Courage fleeted behind Ciun¡¯s mask, her hand the source of stress. Her fear surged for what she would be walking Illus into. ¡°I have no words which will prepare you for the depths farther than you have ventured. These catacombs unrelentingly seek to break even the strongest of mind. Keep my hand, with it a vow that no matter what wretched revelations the abyss consumes us in, we will remain faithful and true to one another.¡±

    Illus breathed in. ¡°On my life.¡±

    ¡°And I on mine.¡±

    They stepped through the threshold into the underworld of Imahken. Down the stone steps and through the dusty halls. A procession of skulls watched them proceed hand in hand until all echoes of light disappeared. In the darkness with the dead, not a thing could be seen. The musty corridors dripped moisture. Bones cracked and scraped at every step, echoes twisting into whispers from the walls.

    The hollow sockets of ancient eyes follow them, those same skulls whose smiles never ceased as though they laughed at a dead man soon to be joining their ranks. He knew the fox was not near, but shadows darker than the void still crossed his vision, the only remedy being to close his eyes and let Ciun¡¯s hand guide him. She became the only sensation, the only source of sound in a place words had not touched in eons. The heat from her hand and occasional brush of hair returned some comfort to him, tiny drops in a split bucket. His racing mind slowed as her aroma of herbs and pears wafted into his nose.

    ¡°How long will this take?¡±

    ¡°It matters not,¡± she said. ¡°Time does not exist down here the same as the surface. After long enough, you lose all your patterns, all sense of time and place.¡±

    Illus¡¯s mind was not fond of her foreboding words. ¡°So how do you navigate down here? And why can we not have light?¡±

    Her voice fell sullen, morbid. ¡°I ran so long that the denizens of these halls spoke to me, guided me through this realm of death. The light burns their eyes, then they scream for the fox. Do you not hear the chorus ushering us onward?¡±

    Illus¡¯s voice shook and his hand shuddered. ¡°Am I supposed to?¡±

    Ciun squeezed his hand, a slight chuckle. ¡°No, my apologies. Something about this place raises such a macabre humor in me. I find it best to embrace it, to laugh at the horrors within you, to make light of the dread without.¡±

    ¡°What if the horrors make their way out of me again? What if the fox pulls me away until I forget who I am?¡±

    ¡°What if I lead you into a crevice? What if I let go of you in the dark?¡± She stopped, her breath brushing his lips. ¡°What if I kiss you and disappear into mist?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m at your mercy, Ciun.¡±

    She led him on. ¡°Just as I was at yours, yet you contained all the devious intrusions that your mind and the fox sought to corrupt you with.¡±

    Illus clutched her hand tighter. ¡°I wonder how I could kill that side of me.¡±

    Ciun snickered. ¡°I quite enjoy that side of you, I¡¯d hate to see it go.¡±

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be rid of that madness, that evil?¡±

    ¡°There is no good without evil, and even less if you are unaware of your own evils. Take peace in knowing your madness and you will never fall to it again, Illus.¡± She paused, their scraping steps filling the beat. ¡°Do you want to know how I know where we are?¡±

    ¡°Is it because you can see through the mask?¡±

    She squeezed his hand. ¡°The markings I left when I was first trapped down here remain. Paintings in my own blood. Etchings in the walls. Remnants of bone sculptures and the friends I built to keep me company. Spend enough time down here and the voices of the dead will sound like old friends.¡±

    His voice fell further. ¡°How did it take you so long to get out?¡±

    ¡°The stone cast me into the catacombs and my city sealed me in. The entrance we came from used to be a passage to the main temple. I only escaped once it finally collapsed, long after the fox¡¯s hunting parties ceased chasing me.¡±

    ¡°Every time I think I¡¯ve heard the worst that¡¯s happened to you, you surprise me with more.¡±

    Ciun giggled, her tone light despite the bleak memories welling up in her. ¡°Nobody ever found me because I hid in the lowest levels of the catacombs. Millions of corridors beneath the entire city, a labyrinth which feeds on the living. Everyone went mad or perished before they could get down far enough. And the fox could not touch me. Sleeping among the dead is oddly peaceful once you¡¯re numb to the solitary starvation. Hell begins to feel like home.¡±

    ¡°Does anything good ever happen in these ruins or does everyone go mad and die?¡±

    A smile laced her words. ¡°You happened.¡±

    Time went on wordlessly, but the damp darkness became less imposing than before. Nothing was with them in the depths, no matter the specters and shadows Illus¡¯s mind showed him. Ciun¡¯s hand diligently guided him forward, around turns and over holes in the floor, warning him how and where to step with the precision of one who had traipsed through these halls a million times over.

    But even her comfort could not stay the smothering swell of dread. Shades in the darkness cackling like the fox. Their words steeped into Illus¡¯s slowly shattering sense of space. His body just another spirit in the smoke, like a worm slithering through a vat of pitch, pulled along by beings beyond his understanding toward an imperceivable end.

    His heart pulsed hard and heavy, his lungs unable to suck the thick air in. The dead called, and they would not relent until he joined them. Ciun¡¯s hand seemed to fade, the heat of her skin falling numb even as a glow pierced the miasma.

    Illus thought it was another trick of the eyes until the fox¡¯s chamber, its domain, sprawled out before him. A craterous hill of bone dust, shadows stretching far from every grain as the shimmering moon above twisted and curled its light. The shadows danced like waves in an ominous ocean on the dust. Atop the hill in the center sat a column of fused bones, claw-like digits holding a brilliant white stone aloft. Far above that, the moon shone onto the stone, carved into the ceiling like an eye watching its most valuable treasure. Surrounding it, an empty night sky, not the deep indigo of night, but a starless void. The entire chamber hummed the dull drone of the universe, imposing its crushing weight upon Illus and Ciun.

    Ciun clutched Illus¡¯s hand as he stepped forward without her, out of the tunnel and into the chamber. ¡°I cannot accompany you any farther, but stay close just in case.¡±

    The air finally found its way back into Illus¡¯s lungs. ¡°Not a worry. I¡¯ll be in and out quickly.¡±

    Illus let go of her, pulling the rifle from his shoulder for fear of the fox. He scanned the interior and carefully proceeded forward. Soft crunches left prints like snow beneath his feet. The column held the comet stone high on the hill and the faux moon¡¯s pale glow refracted through it.

    He stopped in his tracks and pulled out the journal, reminded of the dual poems, one triplet in particular.

    Top no ground.

    Tis stone crowned,

    ¡®Neath where found,

    The glassy moon shifted when he walked forward as if there was a light within the crown of this underground chamber. Not on the ground, not on a column, but in the ceiling. Once again, Carmonia clued him into the truth.

    Illus raised the rifle toward the moon. Iron sights would have to do, but it was a shot he knew he could make. If the fox did not know they were in its domain, then it would once the glass broke.

    ¡°Cover your ears.¡± He took a breath in and pulled the trigger.

    A gunshot rang out.

    And the fox cackled. Anilee ran across the bridge in a fit of hysterics, up to the mountain where she spied her father. The smoking pistol in her hand told the story of a lonely lead that never met its target.

    ¡°She couldn¡¯t hit a shot if she put the barrel to her pot!¡± The fox mocked her with a cackle. ¡°A foolish girl, but worth a whirl.¡±

    ¡°Anilee, wait!¡± Her suitor called, a blond man whose jacket wore him while he swam in his trousers. He stood a head taller than the tallest men in the expedition, yet carried himself as if he were small. A cavalry saber jangled from his belt, and he huffed and puffed from the two stuffed satchels tugging him off balance. His foot tried to step on the collapsed roof of the bridge, but he turtled with an exhausted gasp.

    ¡°Pack mule!¡± The fox sauntered up next to him. ¡°Need fuel?¡±

    He took the moment to catch his breath. ¡°What are you on about, fox?¡±

    ¡°Why, food, of course. I know a source.¡±

    ¡°I have some, thank you. It¡¯s a pain enough trying to find this sorceress as is, but chasing after Anilee too?¡± He sighed.

    The fox took on a cordial, respectful tone. ¡°I always admire love and care, but are you sure you¡¯re a good pair?¡±

    Anilee¡¯s suitor chuckled. ¡°She is perfectly imperfect, as we all are, but I know that with time and affection, she will come around.¡±

    The fox restrained a boisterous cackle, maintaining its tone. ¡°Aspirations so noble, but you¡¯re quite immobile.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be up in a few minutes. I think you talking about her ex really hurt her feelings.¡±

    The fox pretended remorse. ¡°Unseen! I¡¯m mean! I didn¡¯t glean! I¡¯m unkeen! So rarely do visitors come, with people I am dumb!¡± The fox began bashing its snout against the granite bridge.

    ¡°No, fox!¡± The suitor put his hand out to pet the fox, stroking its coarse pelt. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault! I¡¯m sure if you explain and apologize, she¡¯ll understand. I didn¡¯t mean to accuse you. Maybe when-¡±

    Suddenly, the fox¡¯s eyes shot open.

    A disturbance. A call from hence. The stone had flown.

    A growl escaped its mouth, urgency shaking its wiry body. It snapped at the suitor¡¯s hand. ¡°Those two! A coup! Kill me! I plea! A blade! Flesh splayed!¡±

    The suitor rolled backwards, a yelp when the fox pretended to attack. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I apologize dearly! I meant nothing by it! It¡¯s not worth dying over!¡±

    The fox screamed rabidly, piercing the ears of the suitor. ¡°I will not die! The time is nigh!¡± Its eyes flared, filling the suitor¡¯s mind with images of the fox rabidly attacking him, but the suitor recoiled into himself and covered his vitals.

    ¡°Please! You¡¯re better than this!¡±

    The fox vibrated in a fit of rage, screaming while its eyes searched wildly for somebody else to do the deed.

    One of the hunters stuck a finger in his ear and drew his pistol. ¡°Oy! Shut up!¡±

    A gunshot rang out.

    Shards of glass showered over the false comet stone as the blindingly bright orb fell from its case. Silently through the air it plunged until with a dull thud it bounced on the top of the hill, rolling toward Illus.

    He gave himself a nod and ejected the casing, then slung the rifle over his shoulder and ran to the stone. He whirled an empty satchel from his other shoulder and picked up the comet stone in his hands.

    Whiteness engulfed him.

    A deafening thunder engorged his ears like his head had been thrust into a screaming blast furnace. Pressure forced its way into his head, an invisible fist clutching his brain.

    A threat.

    A bitterly cold decree roared from the comet stone.

    Truth or death.

    No¡­ something worse than death.

    A warning.

    And yet it strained, as if weak, as if the thrumming grip on Illus¡¯s mind had not reached its full strength. As if the stone beckoned him upward, toward the sky.

    ¡°Illus!¡± Ciun¡¯s voice infiltrated his mind and ripped him back to reality.

    Not a moment had passed and the stone was falling into the satchel as he had intended. The invisible tendrils still coiled around his brain, though, the comet present in the back of his mind. His head reeled, losing balance and staggering to his knees.

    ¡°Illus!¡± Ciun yelled from the entrance with a startling fear, like something else chilled her to her core. ¡°Hurry!¡±

    He rose to his feet, shaking off the stone¡¯s interference. Three steps had passed when he heard a voice behind him and instinctively drew his machete.

    His feet carried him forward as fast as humanly possible, a desperate rush to get back to Ciun, stirring up bone dust and using the hill to propel him faster. Pushing to his limits, his body threatened to tumble faster than his legs could run. He turned his head to check behind him, only to see the maniacal smile of the fox.

    ¡°Our plan from whence shall now commence. Illus the saboteur, tis time to remember.¡±

 _________________________

    Summertime had never seen such short days. Snow blanketed the surrounding lands, tumbling from trees and glittering in the sun. Alas, the ruins remained warm and fertile as bears and bees retreated into hibernation. Yet the sun remained above at all hours, deep into the night and long into storms.

    How long had it been? The seasons told stories of decades, for Illus had witnessed the summer come and go in what felt like hours that lasted millenia. Or had he been in the ruins for so long that time became a blur?

    ¡°Oh, what scores have passed, and your time went so fast.¡± The fox trotted beside the frail, exhausted man who resembled Illus, hair gone white, limping along with weak legs and a crick in his back.

    ¡°Aye, fox,¡± his hoarse voice croaked, ¡°tis a pity. How I miss the city.¡±

    Illus rubbed his wrinkled, sunken eyes, coughing feverishly as he instinctively clutched the skin clinging to his ribs. They ached the more he prodded.

    ¡°What if I said I could restore your life,¡± the fox climbed weightlessly onto Illus¡¯s shoulders, ¡°and for quite the bearable bit of strife.¡±

    In Illus¡¯s mind did he finally see through the haze. He simply wanted to be done.

    ¡°What is the cost? What will I have lost?¡±

    The fox¡¯s mouth curled up in jubilation. ¡°Nothing will be sold, and you no longer old. An honest transaction demanding only a little action. My short course, concise as it were, has a source, to be free of her. With heartfelt sorrow I say, you have become Ciun¡¯s prey. The sorceress is the cause of your age, for she saps your life while you play on her stage. As I warned before, I warn you here, this is a chore, be rid of fear.¡±

    ¡°Will I be able to see my sister?¡±

    ¡°And she won¡¯t have lost her glister. Anilee too, you¡¯ll no longer feel blue.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Ani¡­¡± In his head he struggled to imagine their fleeting forms. His old mind had been stretched thin. ¡°I hope she¡¯s found glee. Perhaps my loss made her flaws known. I certainly hope she has grown. Moved far away and on, from my naive con.¡±

    The fox¡¯s gaze wrestled with confusion and idly lingered on the wildflowers. ¡°You wish not to have her? Has the past become such a blur?¡± Its dull blue eyes landed upon the moon and in a brief moment of lucidity, unknowingly let out a light purr. Then in a frightful recoil and a twinge of squirming fur, the fox ran off of Illus and away from that mental wrack.

    Illus continued, ¡°time tells a million tales, and so many force the wind in their sails. I wish mine wasn¡¯t lost to the past, and perhaps I¡¯d tied sail to mast.¡±

    ¡°You regret your mortality? Are you afraid of finality?¡±

    Illus¡¯s sullen disposition left him in no mind to tell fibs. ¡°I wish I had done something with it. It now feels like a meaningless flit. Life is not meant to be lived alone, but I have run out of time to atone.¡±

    With a cackle and a surprisingly genuine smile, the fox nodded. ¡°Then have back your time, and begin with me this climb.¡±

    ¡°What must I do?¡±

    ¡°Take her mask and follow through.¡±

    Ciun appeared. Her hair billowed in the breeze between them, gentle and fluttering like an azure veil over the mask. Illus fearfully reached through, lightly curling his digits around the mask, careful not to touch anything she may feel. Fingers met soft ivory and Ciun moved not a bit. Illus pulled against a magnetic force and she disappeared into mist.

    The fox smiled and patted Illus¡¯s knee. ¡°That is it! Every day there will be one. Be quick of wit and your youth is won.¡±

    In a moment, the fox was gone. Just as Illus had feared. He stared into his hand, wondering about this task. The mask just there was never even real. Bones aching and stomach growling, all Illus had was his grit. So why, suddenly, was his mind in such a twist? He pushed away all the doubts who would never let him be free.

    Frantic and frenzy stole away every minute- or was it hours, days, weeks? How much further would he push, already hearing his bones creak. Maybe it was months, years, decades. After that swirling sun ceased circling round, sense of time began to fade.

    He evaded the fox¡¯s rhythm, but the rivers had not dried. Now it would not be long before Illus died. His only chance to escape, to have a chance at survival, was the toss away his morals and his fondness for Ciun. And yet every time he saw her, the world seemed to have a tune. A mask stolen in the shed. A mask swiped when she turned her head. None of them were real, just images to test his zeal. He knew one would eventually be a regret, but as time went on, stealing the mask took no sweat.

    The ruins had shifted, shimmered and shirked their old forms. Gone away were all the late summer storms. The amphitheater was alive with the sounds of good company, deer and moose ravenously raced for the thrill. Near the freshly painted mosaic was a lush blue rose garden, protected from the ever present winter¡¯s chill. Illus stood taller than everyone who appeared, and even the tallest were shorter by a head. He somehow remembered Ciun against his chest, a distant memory all tangled in time¡¯s thread. Somewhere, somehow, the mask had lovingly bumped his chin.

    Where could that memory have risen from? He had been in the ruins for what felt like decades, never once-

    Masked Ciun, bold and rushing, skipped through the trees and past the river¡¯s edge. Odd, he had never seen her past the rose hedge.

    Alas, Illus raced through the brambles, asking his way with the utmost respect.

    The roses didn¡¯t recognize him, as if he had gone centuries unchecked.

    They spoke to his mind, a cacophony of singing sighs.

    Or perhaps they sang screams, tortured cries.

    He raced down the hill and toward a new gully out.

    The landscape dark dust, but he couldn¡¯t hold doubt.

    Everything was happening so impossibly fast,

    Not a clue where he was or what he did last,

    No time for thought or any questions to ask,

    When Illus wrapped his fingers around Ciun¡¯s mask.

    Yet he hesitated, a strange sensation, so comforting and familiar in his left hand. Her hand. Tightly squeezing his. She was turned away, ready to pull him into darkness, frozen with a sharp inhale the moment his wily digits crossed her eyes.

    The catacombs? Why was he in the catacombs? What trick of was this? And his hand clutching the hand of the blue haired woman before him¡­ why did it feel so natural? Why did it cause him halt?

    ¡°Illus,¡± her voice shook, a high whisper, terror threatening to overtake her violently shaking hand, ¡°Illus.¡±

    Who was this woman? Why was she speaking to him so familiarly? He hadn¡¯t seen her in a long time. No, he knew her name. The last time-

    The fox slithered greedily through the air, closing distance quickly. ¡°Illus! The mask! Trust your task!¡±

    Rushing anxiety shot daggers through Illus¡¯s chest, his body a sensation away from violently recoiling, tearing the mask free. He groaned, a jolt of pressure and pain electrifying his skull.

    Ciun slowly turned toward him, clutching his hand with both of hers. The mask faced him and a distant memory fluttered through his broken mind.

    ¡°Illus,¡± Her shuddering, desperate tone broke Illus in a way that felt forgotten, ¡°you¡¯re more than your madness.¡±

    The fox landed on Illus¡¯s shoulders, curling around the back of his head with a devious whisper in his ear. ¡°You will pull! Your survival!¡±

    A beating heart thrummed in his ears, sweat poured down his head, and nausea curdled his stomach, but he spoke.

    ¡°Oh, this mask. This magic in which you bask. This beacon of desire. This idol of my ire.¡± He pushed Ciun back and closed the distance, wild-eyed and lost, fingers slowly drawing the mask from her face, yet uncommitted. ¡°To live, to leave, to end this vat of vanity. All for this empty casque atop her promontory. To steal it as I have been taught, is all that I ought.¡± Illus pressed forward a step, forcing Ciun back. ¡°Yet why does my body recoil? As if it remembers a plan I long to foil. To believe, to trust, to enact what I must.¡±

    The fox curled a claw against Illus¡¯s throat with a whisper in his ear. ¡°Enact our will, or you I shall kill.¡±

    Illus pushed Ciun back one last time, forcing his forehead against ivory. ¡°I see now the tortured one, the creature here who will never run. The truth of this matter whose world I will shatter. Is rhythm the rhyming words by which meaning we impose, or the mismatched moments that naturally compose?¡± His thumb lightly caressed that what he long dreamed of. ¡°One pull and I am free from playing the rat in his box-¡±

    Ciun pulled him in and whispered so lightly, so quickly, that not even the fox could react. ¡°I banish thee, fox.¡±

    Its claw drew one drop before it dissipated into mist. Illus lowered his hand, and Ciun leapt in for a kiss. As quick of a brush of lips as it was, Ciun¡¯s entire body relaxed in the brief moment, her mind as steeled as Illus¡¯s. Like feathers they floated, speeding away with the comet stone in tow.

    A shrill, cracking screech pierced the depths of their ears, echoing through the catacombs with a rage only known to those who had toiled for eons and lost everything to a mortal in a moment- for a second time.

    Illus clutched the stone close to his chest, its blinding light nullified by the beaver skin bag. Ciun pulled him along wildly, muffled scorns of the fox growing louder, closer, and echoing through the dead corridors they blindly trespassed.

    ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you again, Ciun.¡±

    ¡°Illus, how long has it been?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but holding your hand I felt at home.¡±

    ¡°However long has passed, focus on now.¡±

    Cackles and whispers infected the halls of bone, scampering footsteps and crashing cartilage every which way. A growl from behind and a whirl of wind to his right.

    ¡°I banish thee, fox!¡± Ciun yelled out, the hot breath of the dematerializing fox warming Illus¡¯s nape.

    Their speed increased, skimming sharp corners where bone tore their clothes and scraped their flesh. Illus banged into walls, pulled along like a ragdoll by the frenzied Ciun. Flickers of light broke from the bag, shedding light on shimmering shadows and smiling skulls.

    Suddenly, the fox¡¯s voice coiled around them, announcing throughout the entire catacombs. ¡°What good is a rule if it is only a tool? Thy transgression marks concession. For overreaching your hand, your rite of banishment is banned.¡±

    ¡°Ciun,¡± Illus squeezed her hand tighter, ¡°what did you do?!¡±

    ¡°I reached for you,¡± her voice rattled like the bones around them.

    ¡°We can outrun the fox, right?¡±

    ¡°I can alone,¡± Ciun¡¯s words raced faster than her feet, ¡°so now bare your blade and trust what I show you. The fox is hunting.¡±

    Heart racing, adrenaline pumping, Illus drew the machete. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry, Ciun,¡± a morbid smile climbed his hidden cheeks, ¡°I¡¯ve a bone to pick with that rhyme rat.¡±

    Silence.

    Blackness.

    All Illus sensed was Ciun¡¯s hand pulling him along. He yelled, screamed out, but he heard not even his own voice in his ears. Only the lingering hum of the comet stone, an amalgamation of voices so dense they melded into pure white noise. Then sensation, a twinge of pain like the precursor to claws shredding the back of his neck, from below, by his legs.

    Illus swung the machete to a surge of light in his mind and the silence fell away. The fox wretched, a volley of scattering bones overcasting the tumbled creature.

    It slurred in a fading low growl as it dissipated. ¡°Beast! Impetuous animal! The feast of a cannibal!¡±

    ¡°Illus! Speak to me!¡± Ciun cried out from ahead.

    ¡°I saw nothing, heard nothing! It blocks my senses!¡±

    They carried on further, but its pattering scamper quickly closed the gap.

    ¡°Help!¡± Anilee screamed from far down the corridors. ¡°Illus, please!¡± She begged through tears, a terror to her shrill cries echoing around him.

    ¡°Illus, where are you?!¡± Sator¡¯s steps crunched bones as he ran.

    Illus¡¯s body shook, a yearn to rush to their aid, desperate to save them. He knew they were deceptions, but his trepidation at the sounds of their voices dragged Ciun slower.

    Ciun growled, a hate-fueled curse in her tone. ¡°It¡¯s not real! You foul fool!¡±

    Then she whispered something under her breath.

    ¡°Ciun?¡± Illus asked, sure that it was not truly her who spoke, but he heard a voice in his that was not his own. A hateful, graveled, lustful wretch.

    Without warning, Ciun¡¯s hand ripped free and she inhaled so sharp that it pierced Illus¡¯s ears. She left him, gave up his hand. The scampering grew closer. The whispers surged louder.

    ¡°Ciun? Where did you go?¡± Cold dread crept into his heart, infected his mind with hopelessness. He stumbled forward in the darkness, tripped over bones, and listened for the fox¡¯s footsteps.

    Suddenly, a hand grabbed his and yanked him away. He heard nothing but the snap of teeth where he had been.

    Voices slithered through the tunnels, surrounding Ciun in dreadful whispers, voices of dead men pretending to lunge for her mask, jolts that shocked her grip on Illus at every word.

    ¡°Ciun,¡± Illus squeezed her hand, keeping her from slipping away, ¡°focus on the fox. You know they¡¯re not real. I¡¯ll rid us of it, but I need you to-¡±

    A sharp slash caught his ankle.

    He gritted his teeth through the searing pain. ¡°Ciun, I¡¯m with you. Show me the fox, focus on my voice. I will never betray you, never touch that mask again, but I need you to keep me alive long enough to free you from it!¡±

    A light leapt through the air behind him, a phantom pain of teeth in his arm. Illus thrust the machete out and the fox took the steel directly in its jaws, its weight lightening to haze.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. A thousand times over. I¡¯ll never mistake your voice again, Illus, but the fox-¡± she choked on her words, voice shaking as much as her hand. ¡°That scoundrel stole your tongue, your hand. I-¡± Her terrorized voice chilled into cold, seething rage. ¡°You end tonight, fox!¡±

    She pulled with violent aggression, her hand clammy and trembling madly. Pace quickening, his feet lost traction on the floor. Scampering feet and wicked growls consumed the darkness yet again, fading into nothingness. Silence and darkness again.

    Then a silhouette of the fox out of light, but illuminating nothing, like he saw through space to the exact location of the fox. It leapt again toward his neck and he slashed into emptiness, finding exactly that. Nothing. And then a sensation of pain away from his body, on the strap of the bag, Ciun¡¯s warning that he missed.

    A weight fell from his shoulder, the comet stone. Blinding light flooded the corridor, reflecting off of the bone dust like the surface of the moon. The fox reached for the stone.

    Illus released Ciun and roared a fierce warcry, stomped his foot on the paw of the fox and hacked at its neck. Screeching like a burning pen of squealing pigs burst from its gullet. Its eyes dislodged from their sockets, slithering out of the pelt to watch Illus in grim amusement. They shimmered with power, and Illus¡¯s eyes only began clouding over before the fox¡¯s dissipated into haze, its slumping head already being pulled back to place by leathery black tendrils within the pelt.

    Ciun swept the stone back into its bag as Carmonia¡¯s words swept through Illus¡¯s head, a compulsion to enact an order.

    ¡°Rise from death.

    For mist¡¯s stealth,

    Down his breath¡±

    Illus lowered himself to the creature cloaked in a fox¡¯s pelt and inhaled. Thick smoke sludged down his throat and dredged through his lungs.

    A familiar lightheadedness and lack of weight filled his body, but puffs of haze fought their way down his throat.

    Ciun tucked the stone away, a return to darkness. Then she led him on, too preoccupied by the stone to notice what he had done.

    Illus counted in his head. Five seconds, ten seconds, fifteen, thirty- he struggled to hold his breath- forty five, sixty- speckles of white and black invaded his vision and a voice climbed closer to the front of his thoughts.

    Haze crept out with Illus¡¯s pained words, obstructing words to sound monstrous and deep. ¡°My breath, my death!¡±

    Its voice gleefully crept into his mind. ¡°Hold me close, until you doze.¡±

    The words shot shivers through his body, but his lungs could not force it free. The haze clambered through his chest, prodded at his brain. He stumbled and choked, caught in hopeless heaving.

    A sharp blow to Illus¡¯s core shot the smoke straight out of his mouth.

    Ciun pulled her hand back, regaining lost momentum. ¡°You cannot be overcome now!¡±

    ¡°A trap- in the poem!¡±

    ¡°I told you to be wary!¡± She cried out, tears choking her attempts to be calm. ¡°No matter, we¡¯re almost there.¡±

    Their swift steps drowned out the rattling bones beneath them, running beyond where the fox could readily reach for so long that neither could be sure when they would escape. Then came a drawl of air at their backs. Steps and suddenly light. Pale moonlight.

    Ciun stumbled up the stairs, her feet dragging sluggishly. She stopped them at the entrance to listen.

    Illus waited silently as she angled her head down, ears carefully analyzing the speeding situation.

    Finally, she spoke. ¡°My control is waning. Can you leap us to the top like you did before?¡±

    What seemed to be half a century in his past suddenly surfaced, the memory of his leap with Ciun in his arms. He smiled at the nostalgic memory, even though he knew it was still fresh. ¡°Of course. Is it safe?¡±

    She bit her lip, her head shooting to look behind them in the catacombs. Her arm cradled the stone, a sliver of brilliant light escaping a slice in the bag. ¡°War is about to break.¡±

    <hr>

    Uthman cursed under his breath, Anilee behind him, tucked into a cranny while he watched atop the outcropping near the peak of the mountain. A line of wandering brigands tramped up beneath them, blindly climbing in the night. Sator hid down the trail, rifle trained on them the same as Uthman, Chitus, the investigators, Anilee¡¯s suitor, and the disorganized crew of privateers.

    ¡°This mountain is designated as restricted by the New Heraldsberg military, under the authority of Captain Chitus!¡± Chitus yelled out to those below him.

    Every rifle immediately trained on him.

    Uthman eyed Sator, who matched his scowl, both of them wishing to stay concealed.

    ¡°Stand down or be fired upon by our platoon!¡± Chitus declared from atop a stump.

    Anilee silently crept away from her father and suitor amidst the chaos, ascending the final turns of the mountain. Chitus continued his show of farce that brought the brigands to a halt, unable to spot the true breadth of their slim military forces. The commotion called the attention of the entire ruins, all eyes turned toward the mountain from every which way. All were wary, wondering what the military was hiding, wondering what such treasures were worth their lives.

    Colonel Uthman then rose. His voice shook the very trees he bellowed from, pulling the attention off of Chitus. ¡°Lower your arms and cease your advance. No blood needs to be spilled within these ruins. Pillage what lies below and be satisfied. Once we retrieve our brother, we will be gone. You are not only outnumbered, but outmatched.¡±

    The brigands all froze, their doubts waned and whispers of obeying the demands crept through the ranks.

    Then the black sky shone brighter than day, the comet stone shooting through the sky. A trail of haze swirled through bushes that the brigands were scattered in, and a devious cackle ushered their eyes upward. Uthman, Sator, Chitus, the investigators and their allies lost night¡¯s cover, exposed by the soaring white sun. Uthman¡¯s eyes traced the light up, trying to see through the high arc it took toward the peak, then he realized it was Illus and Ciun.

    This light stirred the battlefield, fear and fascination at what magic was above.

    The fox¡¯s voice echoed around the mountain, swirling black fog filling the field¡¯s eyes. ¡°They seek to steal the power you have earned! Bear your blades and spill blood like you learned! Siege the peak, they are weak! One chance, take stance, raise lance, advance!¡±

    ¡°All men, stand down!¡± Uthman shouted, his options dwindling, his voice shocking the ruins into stillness.

    While all eyes were cast upward, Anilee stared down on the potential mayhem. She smirked, for the fox had told her no lies when she witnessed Illus grasped by the sorceress¡¯s spell. The sorceress had done something to strip his affection from Anilee, claiming it all for herself. Nobody was on Anilee¡¯s side but the fox, and that was clear to her.

    Its words resounded from the mirages it spoke through earlier. ¡°Pretend you hold them dear, then from within become the spear. I grant you a wish, your award, so long as you sew discord. Should the stone reach Imahken¡¯s peak, you will have the dream you seek. Keep it from Illus, and the vile sorceress. When her mask is ours, then wish upon the stars. Touch the stone and feel its behest. Know your mind and speak a request.¡± She glared down the mountain at the fools beneath her and drew.

    ¡°Hold fire!¡± Uthman stepped out, fully revealing himself before them all. ¡°Do not listen to the fox, nor any voices in the haze!¡±

    The pointed guns were on a hair trigger, the dazzling light at the top of its arc, but the fox nowhere to be found.

    A gunshot rang out.

    Smoke rose from the mountaintop, where only one woman stood. Colonel Uthman slumped forward, then tumbled down the mountain.

    The mountainside erupted with whirring bullets and blasts. Chitus fell. Shots peppered the sky where the light crested. Firearms fused with the fox¡¯s haze, masking the mountain in its meddling mist.

    Anilee froze, watching her father¡¯s body drop out of sight. Her hands violently shook, her heart frozen in place, but she knew not why. Gunsmoke slithered up her nose and tears slipped from her shell shocked eyes. Something about it woke her to her core, her mind falling into a daze, her eyes clouding over with haze.

    She wished to be free of that feeling, to be as far away from it as possible. Anilee turned her eyes up to the falling light.

    Ciun¡¯s consciousness waned in Illus¡¯s arms, a surge of adrenaline forcing his legs to fly. Heavy headed and light of mind, the inevitable moment approached amidst torrential gunfire. Dying cries and frantic screams echoed up to him, clouding his instincts.

    His legs gave out. A spattering of warmth rushed down his pant leg. Ciun tumbled from his arms, and the stone from hers. The orb of swirling brilliance rolled out of the bag and came to a halt at Anilee Uthman¡¯s feet.

    Illus picked his head up, staring in horror at the distraught Anilee.

    ¡°Ani,¡± he yelled to her in a fever of bewilderment, struggling to stand, ¡°whatever wish you have will be twisted! Ani, it may kill you!¡±

    Her teary brown eyes shone gold in the piercing light of the comet stone, emptily staring ahead, enraptured by the artifact of divinity in her hands, the very thing Carmonia had chased. Why wrestle away a mask when the artifact she was destined to find sat right before her? She beamed as bright as the stone having achieved her dream, having gotten what Carmonia never could, but another voice sought to steal her attention.

    ¡°Take the mask of magic! To let it go would be tragic! Throw the stone down the mountain! When they are dead, the world will be your fountain!¡± The fox swirled frantically in the air outside of the mountaintop domain and finally roared a fierce order in desperation, ¡°Heed me, Anilee!¡±

    But even the fox¡¯s words were not enough to break Anilee¡¯s attention. Why would she listen to anyone else when such immense power was at her fingertips? How could she hear anyone else when her ears rang from the gunfire, when her mind processed nothing but a way to escape it all. The voice of the stone spoke to her, shoved into her senses and shackled her mind. She chained her eyes to the radiant orb and held it aloft, desires swirling through her head, tears streaming down her face, a free chance to attain whatever she wanted, make right all she had done. The will of the comet extended to the stone in a beam of light. It demanded her to speak, but she knew not the consequence it could wreak.

    ¡°I want love.¡±

    A flash.

    The orb clattered against granite, settling in a divot beside a clump of gold where Anilee once stood. The slumping pelt of the fox scrambled to search the mountainside, screaming out below.

    ¡°Every man must ascend! This mustn¡¯t be the end!¡±

    Its voice drowned in the storm of gunfire brought on by its deceptions. Chaos frightened all of the men into thinking their enemies were each other while Sator and the surviving investigators slipped away into hiding spots, prepared for such chaos.

    The fox turned its dangling eyes toward Illus, the man fighting off tears as he numbly limped to the stone and fell next to that glistening gold nugget. It surged with rage, slithering along the domain¡¯s border. ¡°What blasts hide their hearing?! No masts to guide their spearing!¡± Its voice shuddered in grave miscalculation. ¡°Why are they not god-fearing?!¡± Then it turned to Illus. ¡°A king you shall be, rule over all you see! Ciun as your bride, all magic at your side! Take the mask, why not finish this task?!¡±

    Illus struggled to his feet, met eyes with the fox, his determination still strong. ¡°Because It¡¯s time for the nightmares to end.¡±

    The fox lost all expression. It knew that he knew.

    The mountaintop suddenly shimmered into a sunny day over an ocean of people chanting Illus¡¯s name.

    ¡°Long live Illus, King of Imahken, empire reborn from ruins.¡±

    Where was he? What had he been doing? Perhaps it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Hail to the reborn empire, to the birth of the twins.¡±

    Blissful peace, joy among the people, and Ciun smiled at his side, two children in her arms. Yet she was an empty visage with emotionless eyes that smiled at him crooked, like a doll with its face crudely painted on. A dream perhaps, but not of Illus.

    His heart sank. The bliss expelled in a breath, then he stood atop the nighttime mountain once more. ¡°No more lies.¡±

    He picked up the comet stone. Its claw clutched his brain and dragged his chin aloft, eyes to the sky to meet the gaze of the comet. A hurricane of white crashed into his mind.

    The fox, out of options, dove in to slit Illus¡¯s throat.

    A seething voice swept over the mountaintop. ¡°I bind thee, fox, breaker of order.¡± Ciun raised her hand to the fox and a billowing haze locked it in place. ¡°What good are eyes that overlook a border?¡± She turned to Illus. Her body struggled against the sleepy, drooping exhaustion of magic, silently urging him on.

    Illus raised the comet stone.

    Terrified stammers flooded the fox¡¯s tone and its eyes dropped from the pelt. ¡°I-Illus¡­ please. I offer peace.¡± The fox¡¯s voice shuddered and a long forgotten fear crept into its hopeless voice. ¡°Watch her aggress, the evil sorceress! I implore! Speak no more!¡±

    Its words did not reach Illus, too deep in trance to hear. The comet peeled his eyes open, ripped into his desires, but he guided his thoughts to the poems, the warnings. The hints Ciun gave through subtle messages and riddles. The magic that bound the fox to the stone to Imahken to the mask to Ciun to their prison of time, of endless life, of dreamlike eternity brought on by the divine.

    Pitch white surrounded him. The screaming sound of nothingness was neither screaming nor nothing. He realized in the light, that the overwhelming brightness, sound, sensation, it was everything at once, a glimpse into the dream of a being whose perception far exceeded the bounds of mortal minds. The hand simply guided his eyes to see the truth. Warmth and chill, comfortable slumber of the distant comet violently rocked between dream and nightmare, just as Imahken did.

    And so, Illus spoke the truth of his heart.

    ¡°Wake Imahken from its eternal dream.¡±

    The stone flashed brighter than the sun. It froze Illus¡¯s hands and scorched his eyes.

    The fox froze in fear and gazed up though it had no eyes. A searing cold light suddenly flashed white inside its pelt. Then it dropped from the sky, empty of whatever lurked inside of it, a trail of glittering ice and snow following the fall.

    Silence gripped the echoing atmosphere. Gunfire, cries, screams- all of it died away.

    Illus collapsed against Ciun¡¯s stone seat, against the shattered statue which had once marked the fox¡¯s eternal claim over Imahken. His head swirled, colorful blindspots dotting his eyes from the flash. A chill crept up his back. Warmth swelled beneath him.

    His eyes fell to Ciun, still as a tree, awaiting something. Then the mask shifted to the deep indigo color of night, shifting form. Where once the fox¡¯s image presided over the mask, it was now a simple, pure ivory circle obscuring Ciun¡¯s face.

    A sharp breath escaped her shuddering chest and dewey cheeks, belied by a heartfelt smile for Illus. Her hands traced the new shape of the mask like a newborn feeling her face for the first time.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Illus struggled to collect his thoughts through the relief, confusion, and exasperation, ¡°good.¡±

    Slow streams of blue haze trickled from the end of Ciun¡¯s hair, from the tips of her fingers. She raised her evaporating hand, the dwindling hourglass of her form. ¡°I never thought-¡± then turned her gaze to Illus.

    In a flash she was by his side. She slipped a blade from her robes and slashed Illus¡¯s pant leg open and froze. A thrashed bullet hole pierced straight through his bloodied thigh. Ciun tore her robes and desperately stuffed the wound, but her frantic, confident demeanor fell into slow grief.

    Illus set a hand on Ciun¡¯s, forcing a smile through cold sweat, dizzying lightness, and slowing muscles. ¡°I thought I¡¯d soiled myself,¡± he shook his head at her. ¡°Glad to see I didn¡¯t make a fool of myself in front of you.¡±

    Her quaking chin forced itself to match his joy. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry-¡±

    ¡°Ciun,¡± he weakly stroked the back of her hand, ¡°you have no more to be sorry for. It¡¯s over.¡±

    She gripped his head, hugged him close to her shuddering chest. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her tears dripped onto his elated face. His hand found hers, his touch imploring her to smile.

    Ciun pulled back, the mask¡¯s round eyes remorseful reflections of her own.

    A raspy sigh escaped his throat, a final attempt to make light of a dire situation. ¡°No more time for tears, my dear. I reckon there¡¯s one more mystery for us to face, one that nobody¡¯s solved or lived to tell of. No poems, no songs, no images, no mirages or hints. Only speculation and faith.¡± Illus let out a long sigh, his words beginning to slur. ¡°The mysteries just never end, do they? How truly wonderful.¡±

    Silence overtook the peak. The last war of Imahken left the night still and serene, so much that they could almost hear the twinkling ocean of stars above. Illus¡¯s eyes lingered on the image of Ciun in her mask before the backdrop of the night sky. Her ethereal hair, loving smile, and touch of her hand. A moment like one he¡¯d seen before, and was glad just to see once again.

    ¡°May I accompany you?¡± Ciun set her hazy hand on the mask. ¡°May I be at your side for a final dance into darkness?¡±

    ¡°And every one after.¡± Illus couldn¡¯t hold back his smile. ¡°I have no life, no words, no vow left to offer. But on my soul I will dance wherever you are with me.¡±

    Illus pulled his hand from hers. He wrestled just to move it, nevertheless reach into his pocket and retrieve the ring. Though bloodied by his touch, the white sapphire glimmered against the moonlight when he slid the ring onto her finger.

    Ciun pulled the mask free. ¡°And I on mine.¡±

    Slivers of pale moonlight shone on her face, and the ivory mask fell to the ground. Her sharp, upturned nose wrinkled with the mess of grief and love. Fresh tears adorned her soft cheeks in a joyous smile. Her eyes met his, round and expressive with thin eyebrows that ducked and leapt with every note of love and loss that crossed her face. And the irises, so deep blue that the pupils were hardly noticeable, like staring into them pulled him into the depths of a vast, dark, starry sea.

    Around them, the world fell still, but between them two galaxies collided. As the mask left Ciun¡¯s face and Illus¡¯s eyes met hers, sparks of light emerged and danced between them. They returned form to Ciun, freed her from the curse, and united the lovers forevermore.

    Flickering azure speckles light fireflies rose from where the fox fell. The mask shimmered and twisted, curled through the air, then finally embraced the stone. A beam of tender white light drew the stone and mask skyward, away from the mortal world, the parade of blue motes close behind.

    Ciun stroked the side of Illus¡¯s face and set a final kiss upon his lips. She lowered herself to his side, held his head against her head, tight in embrace. Ciun, eternally grateful to the sacrifice that unraveled her curse, freed her home, and made right by her promise. And Illus, though fading into darkness, his heart rejoiced to know he gave himself for something greater. No night breeze could chill the comfort and warmth they found in each other''s embrace, but it soon swept the lovers away in peaceful slumber. There they departed, free of heart, mind, and finally soul.

    <hr>

    ¡°Hoo-ooo, hoo-ooo,¡± called the distant loon,

    What follows is mystery, even to the moon.

    Thus ends the story of Illus and Ciun,

    Eternally joined in embrace, her love¡¯s boon.

    As for the others, they continued as life must,

    Nurtured the Earth, then their final gift of dust.

    History books recalled the journal¡¯s tales,

    Imahken¡¯s small section that to truth, pales.

    Tis something to be said about fleeting life,

    That desiring memorial will only bring strife.

    Though the fox¡¯s promises may appear swell,

    Time is precious and it¡¯s all yours to sell.

    These lovers found peace in facing the abyss,

    A gift that clouded eyes perpetually dismiss.

    They lived unwavering for their hearts¡¯ sake,

    And died deaths that no fox could fake.

    Left to memory as all things soon seem,

    Life went on like it was all but a dream.

 Thank You for Reading, from Ren Cory

    Hey guys!

    Thank you so much for reading Dreams of Imahken. It''s hard to explain how looking at those follower/favorite numbers on the author page and the single unswapped review have motivated me as a writer. I always try to strive, and today I finally saw one of my dreams come true in receiving Dreams of Imahken in paperback. Publishing is a lot of work, especially doing it all on my own. I''d upload a picture of me with the book, grinning ear-to-ear like the fox, but I don''t want to hurt anyone''s eyes.

    Let''s get back to the point, shall we?

    I don''t really have one. I''m just giddy and excited and I''ve hugged this book so many times while kicking my feet and smiling like a little kid. I probably wouldn''t have been motivated enough to get this far without all of you. That means you, the person I''ve never interacted with, who has only followed or favorited and read the novel, silently lurking. I see you. I''m the same way with every other aspect of my life besides RR, and honestly I''m just grateful that you all found this novel.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    I''m not sure how to end this, but I''m in a good mood and will be ordering more books to try selling at local book stores. If any of you want one, free of charge, I could probably send out a few and sign it if you want it. I''m not sure if I''m up my own butt enough to do a book signing event, but it''s different with y''all. You''re the day 1''s. Comment or DM me or something if you want that. I''ve noticed nobody ever really cares about the free books I offer, so let me know if you don''t want it and I''ll rescind this offer. New rule: The offer is only open until somebody comments that they don''t want it.

    Anyways, I''m off to order a big box of books to keep in the back of my car that will likely never sell. Wish me luck.

    And thank you.

    ??

    Ren Cory