Clarity came back in bits and pieces, rendering Orgeeg's role to be limited to only that of a witness. He watched as the two women faced each other with their eyes glowing a fierce red. Masutap released her grip on the knife plunged into Dahli's side and the Princess yanked the knife free yet no blood spurted out in the blade's wake. They stood like statues after their brief burst of action, facing each other with their sclera void of the color white in favor of red.

The hulking Royal Black Guard who was the reason Orgeeg lay limp on a fell door remained kneeling before the two women, his head moving between the two as he wondered as to what was going on.

Orgeeg wondered too in that hazy way a knocked up head could allow. He felt a wetness at the back of his skull and he hoped the damage to his head wasn't severe regardless of the fact that he might soon die anyway. He had more important things to ponder though, other than survival. For starters, the Jojoh Meena was never passed on to a female descendant yet there Dahli stood with her eyes glowing red. Had something happened to Leba hence leaving Dahli as the sole vessel left for Meena's blessing? The blessing of Meena also never got passed on to two people at the same time or at any given time yet Masutap stood with her eyes glowing red as well. There was no doubt that Vayin Vigon was dead, it appeared the Kolotian was a bigger threat than presumed and it was apparent that an anomaly had been forced into existence upon the Ganidan Plain.

Orgeeg felt feeling return to the tips of his fingers, slowly building up his limbs to the point where he could sit up. Ten Royal Black Guards stumbled into the room only to stop at the sight of Dahli and Masutap. They immediately knelt before the women with shock upon their lowered faces as the significance of what they were witnessing became apparent. Vayin Vigon is dead and the blessing has been passed on by the Goddess Meena. For the moment, no attention was directed at Orgeeg.

Suddenly, the crimson glow bathing the chamber faded and the two women remained standing with grey eyes facing each other.

Masutap smiled. "You have dazzling thoughts, she's linked us together, sister, I have seen what lurks in the depths of your mind." At the word 'sister' the kneeling Royal Black Guards raised their heads.

"As I have seen yours, Masutap. You wanted to kill me, you killed Desan and framed Orgeeg for it." Dahli answered while tilting her head up. Orgeeg's heart beat faster and he found strength enough to lift himself into a kneeling position while fully facing Dahli.

"Oh please!" Masutap said, her smile growing wider. "Don't act all self righteous, I've seen the desire you harbor for power. I've seen your desire for the Kolotian-" "SHUT UP!" Dahli shouted.

"Every instant your eyes fell on him has been engraved in your mind, curved into it repeatedly lest you forget a single detail. My, my, my. You must have thought about the mbengo a lot." Masutap continued. "Oh and now Meena tells you that your… our… father was just an ancient ancestor jumping from body to body, the only one capable of being Meena's champion as his soul, that has thrived for centuries, is strong enough to channel her full power. Always thought the whole Jojoh Meena thing fishy." Masutap raised a finger and made to touch Dahli but hesitated. "You've only been given half of that power, how does it feel? Not being worthy of the whole?"

"Forms of Empathy won't work on me." Dahli answered. "I will not disobey the Goddess and bring about the splitting of her personality by conflicting with you."

"There goes that childlike devotion Meena so admires in you. I could feel your pride when she compared you to her."

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"And I felt your contempt."

"Pity there's nothing you can do about it."

"Others can." Dahli replied and turned to the hulking Black Guard. "Kill her." She pointed at Masutap.

All at once the Black Guards erupted into action, moving forward to contain Masutap while the big man closed in. Orgeeg could only watch as the big man pounced, he could only see as Masutap's hand shot out in a punch that ripped through the man's chest and out of his back, causing everybody to freeze.

Masutap withdrew her arm and Orgeeg could see her face through the gaping cavity running from the big man's chest to his back before he dropped dead on the ground. "I might actually come to enjoy this, sister." Masutap said before flashing Dahli a smile and dashing for the balcony where the Black Guards parted to let her pass. Who'd stand in the way of a woman who could punch through one's body? Masutap was gone with a flip over the balcony rails, a smile plastered on her face the whole time as she cartwheeled over.

"Spread the word. My father is dead and the blessing has come upon me. Relay those words exactly as witnesses of Meena's new champion." Dahli spoke into the silence of the room, causing heads to turn from observing the balcony to her.

"But the Rank one-" Started a Guard who immediately shut up under Dahli's glare.

"Masutap is a traitor. She is responsible for Desan's death and would have succeeded in assassinating me if it wasn't for Orgeeg." Dahli pointed at Orgeeg who struggled not to swell his chest with pride with fear that doing so might have him collapsing.

The Kolotian. He remembered Masutap's words and fought against following that train of thought.

"Make haste!" Dahli ordered and the Black Guard's split, half remaining while the other half ran to relay her orders while making a wide berth of the dead Black Guard on the floor. The Princess turned to face Orgeeg, ignoring everyone else within the chamber. "I need you fit, we have a difficult task ahead of us." "I will hunt her down, your majesty." Orgeeg declared with a shaky voice.

"No, not Masutap." Dahli said. "She is of little importance, the Goddess has revealed everything to us.

There is worse on its way."

Orgeeg mastered all his strength and straightened off the floor. He spread his legs for secure balance and raised his head to meet Dahli's grey eyes. "On my life I swear to avenge your father! I shall hunt down the Kolotian, Ishar, and bring you his head!"

Dahli shook her head from side to side. A look of sorrow upon her face. "No, not him. He is needed. We will need him for what is coming."

Orgeeg's shoulders slumped. "What? Then who-"

"Leba Vigon." Dahli answered. "We have to prepare for Leba Vigon."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darkness is tangible, draw it into you. Feed it your despair and use it to fashion your will. Locha said.

How?

Like this.

Leba gasped as a deep cold engulfed his whole body. The darkness all around him at the chasm floor seemed to shift as if trapped in a cascading swirl towards him. He could see all the shades of black, they mirrored every aspect of all that drove one to despair. He could feel them flood into him, piercing his flesh, drilling his spine like sharp icicles. The darkness coated his back, straightening it and rising out of it like black smoke from a furnace. His legs straightened and faced the right way, a biting cold seemed to mend every bone and even as it did so Leba knew that he would never experience warmth again. The darkness solidified within his empty socket where an eye had popped out with his fall, flowing out of the eye socket like a dark liquid and down his face in an endless stream of black tears. Leba sat up and opened his mouth to scream as the biting cold engulfed the part of his skull that had caved in, forming a black lump of darkness that covered the entire half of his scalp.

Let go of all that you know. Of all that you are. Let go of your worldly tether and enter the void. Locha commanded and Leba obeyed. His scream of anguish died down, he jerked himself upright and stood up at the chasm floor. Despite the dark he found he could see through his empty socket now filled with darkness. He walked towards the chasm wall and ran his hand upon the blood staining the rock, he brought his hand to his mouth and stuck out his tongue to lick the blood of the children he'd killed. In his mind Locha's laugh echoed which was shortly mirrored by his own.