After re-obtaining the staff we went north. We were supposed to go to an ancient sky-temple, located in the mountains of a desolate region. We packed a lot of food but often had to forage to keep our supplies sufficient. But we made it eventually. We entered the nameless temple.

It was large with grey brownish sand coloured large stones. The decorations had been stripped off, looted I suspected, but the runic carvings into the walls were permanent. It smelled like dust and old plants, despite the obvious lack thereof. We illuminated the darkness by casting radiation on the gem atop of our light staves, using them like torches, narrowly lighting the way for us.

Symania was scared and hesitant, she didn't really want to go inside the temple, and initially she planned to wait outside, but she got scared of waiting alone outside so she decided she'd rather be with me. After what felt like hours, we made it to a large central room, with statues of ancient heroic figures in a circle in the center. On the walls were more carved runic symbols, and several broken pots and vases were scattered across the sides near the walls. Four large tiles were marked differently, and at the northern city there was an enormous stone gate, at least as high as 3 men. Standing on the tiles would make them sink a little, so I figured they all had to be pressed at the same time. We pushed the pieces of the pots and vases on two of the tiles so their weight would hold it down, and then we stood on the remaining two tiles.

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Once all four tiles were pressed, the gate opened slowly, but at the same time, the runic symbols on the walls released magical spells. I rolled to the side and casted my Light barrier to protect myself, but Symania was a little slow and she got hit full on. The deep purple orbs changed into twin lines and circled around her before being absorbed into her body, but it had seemingly no effect. We cast some curse breaking spells just to be sure, then continued onwards.

After navigating through a maze-like hallway complex, we made it to a smaller chamber where in the center was the fabled lifeforce dissolver. It looked like a large crystalline pyramid with a hole at the top. I had been very sure of myself until that point, but when presented with the opportunity to bring back the spirits of those that had been absorbed by the staff, I felt a little hesitant.

I decided not to think, and placed the staff inside the pyramid anyway. The pyramid started to glow, and then the staff started to glow, and then, nothing happened. It didn't work at all. There was no lifeforce to be removed from the staff.

I didn't understand why it didn't work, but eventually we concluded that the staff must've completely extracted the energy, those who had fallen to the staff were disintegrated, their lifeforce was never stored inside, it was completely changed into raw energy.

It was a disappointment, as had most things been in my life that year.