The humid air grew cool as they ascended. Lieze raised a shaky hand to her eyes as the sun glared down upon them, peeking out from between a valley of marbled clouds. Water pooled in the corners of her eyes as the wind blew past, offering scarce few opportunities to peer over the Manticore’s side where the sunkissed hills and forests rolled upon one-another and terminated near the rocky coast.

“Bleh… I’m starting to feel nauseous.” Drayya was playing a heinous game, holding onto the Manticore’s fur for dear life while trying not to drag her nose too close to its rotting flesh, “Tell me we aren’t going to be flying for much longer, Lieze.”

“The islet’s only a few hundred metres off the coast. Bear with it for a few minutes longer.” Her voice was raised to account for the howling gales surrounding them, “It’s hard to believe we aren’t even close to Akzhem’s canopy at this height…”

She didn’t need to peer over the beast’s flank to spot the Great Oaks. Indeed, it would have been more difficult to ignore them. Having drawn as close as most humans were ever likely to tread, she could spot the mile-wide leaves sprouting from their branches and the storied grain of their barks twisting into complex spirals and knots. Beneath that verdant overhang, the darkness of Akzhem offered an invitation into a land far more unforgiving than her own.

The Manticore’s flight carried them parallel to the oaks, lowering towards a quaint landmass poking out from the sea foam. Its paws, wrapped with ribbons of flagella, came to a delicate rest upon the ashen beach encircling the islet. Lieze’s shoes sank pleasantly into the sand as she disembarked, followed soon after by a jaundiced Drayya.

“Oh… I just realised we’re going to take the Manticore back, too.” She sighed, “I can’t wait.”

Uprooting an unlucky clam with the tip of her shoe, the tide washed in and dragged the mollusc out as it retreated back to the sea. Meanwhile, Lieze’s gaze was fixated upon the dilapidated tower sitting further inland, resting squarely upon the islet’s modest central hill.

“The Sages certainly enjoyed their solitude…” She muttered, “If it’s anything like the previous tower, there’ll be a hidden cellar containing the instrument used to establish contact. I wonder if any of the traps we avoided in the last tower are still active here?”

There was no reason to put herself in danger when there was a perfectly good thrall willing to activate any traps on her behalf. While Lieze and Drayya ascended the hill, the Manticore was sent forward to ram a few holes into the structure’s walls to trigger any nasty surprises that may have survived the passage of time. A plume of violet smoke bursting out from the upper levels as the creature headbutted its curved stones revealed at least one such surprise.

When the duo ascended the hill, Lieze stopped to catch her breath while Drayya hopped up the chipped steps towards the tower’s entrance. Some leftover human instinct forced her to rap her knuckles against the wood before realising that there was nobody present to let her in.

“How did these people survive out here?” She wondered aloud as the door creaked open, “I suppose food and water isn’t much of a concern when you’re a master alchemist…”

The ground floor bore a startling resemblance to Sigmund’s, only with more of an emphasis on the scholarly side of things. Bookshelves lined with historical documents, fables, and essays spoke of the former inhabitant’s voracious appetite for reading. The flimsy wooden table in the centre of the room didn’t last three seconds in Drayya’s presence before it was kicked out of the way. She knelt down and felt around with one hand until the chill of iron wailed against her skin. Just as before, a cellar had been hidden with transmutation magic. The enchantment faded away as Drayya’s threw the hatch open. Lieze wandered up behind her and peered into the darkness below.

“Maybe we should have brought Fudge along?” Drayya suggested, “There’s no telling that the trap down there is going to be identical to the one we saw in Sigmund’s tower.”

“It was only created to defend the tower from any thieves. The existence of the cipher and key from before implies that the Sages always intended for someone to surpass it.” Lieze replied, “-Which is to say, there’s no reason why it wouldn’t be the same design. I imagine it uses the same incantation as a failsafe, too. There’s no point in delaying the arrival of someone who already knows about the Light-in-Chains, after all.”

“I don’t know about that… if it was me making these traps-”

“-If it was your responsibility, the two of us would already be dead.” She finished, “I’m thankful that it isn’t. The Sages respect the wizardly tradition of transforming their own homes into life-threatening but ultimately fair death traps. Now let's move on. We’re burning daylight.”

Drayya took a torch from a nearby sconce and evoked a tiny flame at her fingertip to ignite it. Taking care not to burn herself, she descended the rickety ladder leading into the hatch with Lieze following soon after, ending up in a stone hallway identical to the one located beneath Sigmund’s tower.

Retrieving a folded sheet of parchment from her Bag of Holding, Lieze recited the exhausting incantation used to disarm the tower’s defensive traps. Afterwards Drayya tossed a pebble into the darkness and was pleased to find no sudden explosion of lightning.

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“Using the same incantation to disarm multiple towers doesn’t seem very secure…” She muttered, “Well - I’m not complaining. Less work for us.”

Beyond the corridor, another celestial instrument resided within a decorated circular chamber. Lieze breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that none of the delicate crystals used as foci for the device had been damaged over the years. A brilliant glow was already escaping from her palm, as if calling out to the divine presence lingering in the room.

She pulled a dust-covered chair over from a nearby desk and hopped up to where she could direct her palm towards one of the crystals. The golden light was absorbed, refracting into a variety of shades which bounced between the foci, creating an animated web of colour taking on the appearance of a fair-skinned woman.

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“That’s not Sigmund.” Drayya blinked.

“No, child.” The projection replied, “Each beacon chamber is attuned to a particular Sage. While we may be as one within the heavens, these instruments allow us to communicate separately with those of a more mortal persuasion. Our true form would blind those who cling to the material plane.”

Before Drayya could respond, Lieze took a step forward, “I already know our time to speak is limited, so let’s cut the introductions short and get on with it.”

“Lieze Sokalar…” The woman’s eyes were closed, “Only a single Scion remains before you may exert your will over the Light-in-Chains. We never expected the realisation of our dream to arrive so soon, but you have proven to be an especially thorough champion.”

“I’m nobody’s champion. The only reason we’re allied to begin with is because our goals happen to align perfectly.” She replied, “Which brings me to the reason I’ve arrived today. Can you state with absolute confidence that the extinction of all life is your final objective?”

There was a telling pause to the Sage’s answer, “...Do you doubt our word, Lieze Sokalar?”

“Don’t play these games with me. I’m sick to death of running around in circles receiving nothing but riddles for my efforts.” She answered, “Just answer the question.”

“There is no need to grow restless.” The voice assured, “Naturally, we seek the same outcome. The chains of misplaced faith have shackled this world for too long. In our ascension to the realm of divinity, we acquired the strength necessary to uncover the Light-in-Chain’s celestial prison. From that moment onward, we have been awaiting the arrival of a Scion defiant enough to take a stand against the Gods.”

Lieze crossed her arms, “-But what do you stand to gain from all this?”

“Our reasons are not dissimilar from your own.”

“What are my reasons? Tell me that, and I’ll trust you.” She said, “I know what I’m fighting for, but I can’t rest easy until I hear the same from you. Considering you’ve ascended to the realm of the Gods, that much should be simple for you.”

“A quiet reality devoid of life’s curses… you hope that the souls of those departed will find peace in newfound spirituality. Beyond worldly strife, emotion, materialism… there are those who would call you monstrous for seeking this conclusion, but you do so in the name of a better reality for all.”

“-And I suppose you happen to share the exact same ideology?” Lieze asked.

“We do.” The projection’s rainbow-like sheen faltered as it nodded, “And with the power of the Scions at hand, that future is within your grasp.”

“Hm. I suppose that’s convincing enough.”

“What!? Lieze…” Drayya leaned over and pulled the girl close, lowering her voice to a whisper, “Don’t you think they’re just telling us what we want to hear?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I see no reason to keep up this veil of suspicion.” Lieze made no effort to hide her reply, “But there is one thing I’d still like to know.”

“By all means, ask.” The Sage replied, “We have no reason to hide the particulars from you or your allies.”

“These gemstones that impart the Scions’ powers…” She held her palm up, “Based on what I’ve learned, they’re shaped from the Light-in-Chain’s ‘flesh’ - if it can even be called that. Is this true?”

“Indeed. Each fragment is carved from its body while it writhes and struggles against its bindings, enriched by the Gods and granted unto the champions best suited to ensuring their reign.” The light crackling of glass could be heard beneath the Sage’s words, “In this way, the imprisoned deity known as the Light-in-Chains continues to serve as an accomplice to the Gods even after its imprisonment - however unwilling it may be.”

“I see… I thought they were just powerful artefacts.” Lieze turned over her hand to examine the scale, “Once I kill the final Scion, should I return to one of these chambers? We didn’t discuss the final steps when we last spoke.”

“That will not be necessary.” The Sage answered, “The Gods are forbidden from directly interfering in worldly matters bar a few notable exceptions. Thankfully - separated from the cycle as we are - this rule does not apply to us. We will contact you once the powers of the Scions have been gathered.”

Lieze raised an eyebrow, “Right away?”

“As soon as you are prepared. We will observe your readiness and act when needed. We sense that you may desire some time to exchange farewells with your companions.”

“Aw… Lieze.” Drayya smiled, “I knew you were a great big softie deep down.”

“Don’t be ridiculous…” She sighed, “That’s all I needed to know.”

“Beware, Lieze Sokalar.” The Sage warned, “The final Scion is a cunning and unpredictable adversary. You may find yourself being tested in a rather unexpected manner.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less. Things can never be easy, after all.” She nodded, “I’d ask you how to defeat them, but I know you won’t give me a straight answer.”

“You must still prove your worthiness to us.” The Sage continued, “Consider this your final and most important trial. The future of this world - no, of this reality - rests upon your shoulders.”

With that, the innumerable foci projecting their colours above the instrument shattered in one cacophonous sweep, plunging the chamber into silence.