A threat grew in Sahshir's mind as they walked through the tunnels. The others seemed to feel it as well. His gaze peered this way and that as they wound their way gradually upwards. Plants were growing on either side of them now. Especially flowers opened around them, emitting pollen.

It all put Sahshir on edge. He didn't like being under the ground like this, led by a guide they knew little about. "Mazmus, how near are we now?"

"Not far," said Mazmus. "We near the entrance, and soon we see the realm of Harlenorians."

"I see," said Sahshir.

At last, they came to the threshold, a pale and terrible light flowing through it. Sahshir now realized they stood at the bleakest and darkest part of their journey. Gel Carn stood before them, the realm of horrors beyond imagining.

"Brace yourselves," said Sahshir. "Even now, we ascend toward the Dark Land of Gel Carn, the center of Elranor's power. Whatever horrors we behold, we must press on. For the will of Baltoth demands, we stand committed."

"We can handle it," said Isamu.

"I stand resolute," said Urus.

"We stand together against Elranor, no matter the cost," said Cadas.

"I... I'm not turning back now," said Oresa.

Alkela put one hand to her mace.

"This is going to be good," said Nagos.

Tuor smiled.

Then they rushed beyond the light and saw in the distance Gel Carn.

They had come out onto the slopes of a mountain; they saw a vast forest below at the base. It had healthy and bright green leaves, and the trees were tall and strong. The sun was shining down on the endless fields of green grass beyond. Among them were many thatched houses. It appeared there were many farmsteads far ahead in the distance, but they were all made near the base of a river. Castles dotted the landscape, some of them bearing banners and soldiers. Others were empty and falling into ruin.

Beyond that river was a far green country under a beautiful sunrise.

It was all very pretty.

Sahshir could not help but feel somewhat insulted. Nagos was snickering. "Have your laugh."

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," said Nagos. "You were all getting so worked up."

"...Um, are you sure this is Gel Carn?" asked Oresa.

"Yes, yes, castle far north over the big river," said Mazmus. "Travel hard, though. Watch out for ghosts." And he walked off.

"Ghosts?" asked Sahshir.

But Mazmus was gone. He'd scuttled off into the dark without a world.

"Look at this..." mused Urus. "Have you ever seen so much green?"

"This place is beautiful," said Oresa.

"Stay where you are," said Sahshir. "I will meditate and sense for signs of our enemy." Then he sat down crosslegged and scanned the land. It quickly became apparent that the spirits of this place were strong, very strong. They managed everything in this place and paid no heed to any god or demon.

Opening his eyes, he looked up. "...The spirits of this land are powerful. They have far more influence than in Sorn or Kalthak. We must be cautious as we press forward.

"Come, let's get off these hills.

"I do not want to be seen here."

"I will lead here," said Tuor. "It has been... many years since last I walked here. It has changed greatly. Come, let us go."

And he began to walk down.

"What was it like when last you saw it?" asked Oresa.

"All this..." Tuor paused as they reached the trees. "All this was ashes and dust. Anoa the Bright's brutality had scoured the land, seemingly permanently. These rolling plains were once considered great forests, but they set their will against Anoa. And so Anoa destroyed them, setting them flame and killing all within.

"I remembered when there were horses in these lands."

"Horses?" asked Isamu. "Those legendary beasts?"

"Yes," said Tuor. "They shared an unbreakable bond with the elves and fought for them in the wars. And they would bear no other race. With them, the elves could dominate the world and keep humanity chained.

"Anoa commanded they submit to him. But they stayed true and helped the elves in war."

"So Anoa had his men hunt horses to eat," said Sahshir. "What they could not eat, they left for the vultures."

"Why would he do something so horrible?" asked Oresa.

"In those days, the elves had set the world itself against humanity," said Tuor. "Humans were only permitted to have a certain ration of water or fruit. When a spirit became angry with them, they had no recourse save for begging.

"They were persecuted wherever they went, forced to grovel. The punishments could be extreme if a human hurt an elf or a spirit. In one situation, an entire village was depopulated because of a stolen ring.

"High King Anasar of the elves chided the Lord responsible for the response.

"As the world had declared war on Anoa, Anoa declared war on the world. He razed forests to send a message and allied with the forest fires. Without mercy or pity, he killed any species that sided with the elves. And he was very fond of fire.

"When I was born to one of his mistresses, this entire region was being torched. I used to play in the woods when I was very young. Then, one of the spirits helped an elf escape the hunting parties. Anoa found out and torched the whole thing.

"He only stopped when Laevian started sending plagues." Tuor sighed as he set a hand to a tree and breathed out. "...It is good to see this land returning to health."

"Why would anyone follow him?" asked Oresa.

"When men are desperate, they will take a monster instead of a tyrant," said Tuor. "And Anoa was a genius as well as a monster. He also knew enough to establish the systems Harlenor has used to this day.

"The whole thing rests on a tripod of sorts. The King is at the top with his forces, but the nobles can overthrow him if he behaves badly. So he is reliant on them. At the same time, the militia system ensures that the common people all know to fight in ranks. So if the nobles ever become too oppressive, the militia may declare for the King and fight them. And, of course, the King and the nobles may divide and conquer the common people to defend their rights.

"But that would mean Harlenor would be fighting with one another all the time," said Oresa.

"More or less, yes," said Tuor. "Anoa wanted a warrior culture that would never succumb to the corruption he saw in the elves. And he more or less got exactly that. Still, the system benefits from ensuring no one tyrant can ever rule for long.

"You'd never catch a Dinisian Emperor ruling in Harlenor. He'd be speared before the crown was on his head. Except perhaps, in Antion these days. Though as long as Andoa II still lives, that is a moot point.

"But, in truth, the constant brutality and warfare is precisely why I went over to Baltoth. His ideals of perfect order appealed to me. Meanwhile, Arengeth was content to make polite suggestions and arrange marriage alliances. But he left the core problems remain unsolved.

"Come, let us move on. We have a long way to go."

It soon became apparent that the empty lands ahead of them were immense. They went through vast numbers of trees. Sometimes, they'd come out into clearings. He found fields of flowing, golden grass and serene pools. They drank of these and were refreshed. The air around them was clean and cool, as well.

"Where is everyone?" asked Urus. "These lands are beautiful and fertile. Why does no one dwell here? I would have expected to see some felled trees, at least."

"Gel Carn was once the center of power for Harlenor United," said Tuor. "However, when Anoa IX was killed in an ambush by Baltoth, Harlenor fractured. Many great lords fought to carve out their kingdoms. And Gel Carn was a prize they desired, for they thought it would give them legitimacy.

"Armies marched, burning and plundering. One would be King Lord Asion Muldus, who made infernal bargains and used armies of demons. Unending war tore this land apart, and the people fled or died.

"None, in the end, were victorious. I saw to that myself."

"Why?" asked Oresa. "I thought you wanted to avoid pointless wars."

"It was my goal to weaken the various lords to ensure Baltoth's conquest of this land went well," said Tuor. "Because of my actions, Artarq was subjugated, and the elves of Qor'Dana were hard to resist. But, in the end, it changed nothing.

"Our invasion of Harlenor was repelled.

"Gel Carn was left in ruins with only a shadow of what it once was. Plants and people have only recently returned to this land. And they are few and far between, herding and farming as best they can."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

They passed out of those forests and into the long grass soon enough. As they did, Sahshir looked up and saw vast, rolling clouds. A wind howled through his cloak, and it was a sharp one. "The clouds are gathering, and the wind is coming toward us."

"We will need to find somewhere to rest," said Tuor. "We'll make for that castle up ahead."

The castle in question was a truly huge one. The walls were immense, higher than anything Sahshir had seen. Even Zigilus had not been so tall. The stones were dark gray, and many arrow slits were pointing out. The gatehouse was on a rampage of stone, and the doors had long ago rotted away. Yet there was something... evil about it.

Sahshir couldn't pinpoint exactly why he disliked the fortress.

"What is this place?" asked Isamu as they neared. "Was this where that Lord Asion guy lived?"

"Actually, yes," said Tuor. "This is Castle Muldus, where the demons were first summoned as the siege was laid to Asion's castle. A powerful Warlock, Muldus opened a portal to the hells to bring in the armies of Adrianeth, Lord of Pride."

"But Baltoth is the Lord of Pride," said Oresa.

"In effect, yes," said Tuor. "In technicality, no. He had to set the mantle down to become Lord of Order formally. So Adrianeth, his greatest warrior, holds the title of a subordinate. And Adrianeth sought to claim Gel Carn, sending forth his legions.

"I remember the screams of Asion's wife as she was carried through the portal. The sight of the beasts surging through to consume the world. It was a spectacular battle, and the Knights of Harlenor fought with great valor. Yet they were forced to withdraw and drawback."

"Why would these stones be left standing?" asked Urus. "Surely, the peasants would want to take these stones for building material."

"There are demons still here," said Tuor. "You just cannot see them."

And then, as they passed the gates, Sahshir looked with his spiritual sight. Gazing deeply, he saw figures just beyond the veil of reality. They were many, and appeared as armored figures.

Yet they were not on this physical plane. "I sense them near."

"Then let us go to meet them," said Tuor. "If Adrianeth still maintains his power, we may gain his assistance in what comes next."

"Why should we need the aid of demons?" asked Urus.

"A just question," said Sahshir.

"They are demons who serve Baltoth," said Tuor. "You, of all men, should appreciate such efforts."

"I serve Baltoth because it is my purpose," said Sahshir. "I have chosen to live my life in his name. Demons, however, only serve him because of what they may get out of it. And I am not certain this Adrianeth doesn't plot his overthrow even now."

"And what brings you to that conclusion?" asked Tuor.

"They are demons," said Sahshir flatly.

Tuor paused, considered that, and laughed. "Excellent reasoning, son."

Sahshir almost replied harshly, but Alkela drew her mace and tested the weight. Oresa looked at her in concern. "Alkela, what's wrong?"

"Zigildrazia and Adrianeth were never fond of one another," said Tuor. "Adrianeth claimed credit for one of her inventions that he commissioned her to make. In turn, Zigildrazia challenged him to single combat and defeated him. Adrianeth prides himself on martial power. And he regarded the domain of sloth with contempt.

"Smarting from the humiliation, Adrianeth took to kidnapping Zigildrazia's handmaidens. It took Baltoth's mediation to end the dispute, and the two have bitter hatred for the other since. Or at least Adrianeth holds Zigildrazia in bitter hatred; she seemed to enjoy the feud."

"How did Baltoth get them to stop fighting?" asked Nagos.

"Baltoth had Adrianeth assist Zigildrazia in overthrowing Amysta," said Tuor. "In weregild for his stolen handmaidens. Though I believe he got to keep those he had kidnapped anyway.

"His forces were of great assistance."

Then they halted. The passage Tuor had taken them by had collapsed long ago, and only stone was in the way. With a sigh, Tuor led them another way. These halls were devoid of adornment, yet Sahshir seemed to see banners.

It was like they were walking in two different castles at once. One was broken and destroyed, with the stones falling out of place. The other was adorned with rich tapestries. They showed many armored figures marching to battle. One was lit only by what light got through the windows, the other by blazing torches.

"Why are all these tapestries showing armored figures?" asked Oresa. "Where are the demons?"

"Pride demons appear in human form," said Tuor. "But with their humanity obscured. Baltoth always preferred them to be in the form of lions and tigers. However, Adrianeth has different preferences."

So, the others were aware of it. Or at least Oresa was; the others seemed to share a confused glance. It was odd; the two castles seemed to bleed over into one another. Sahshir could see fine wherever the torches were, even in the lesser ones. Perhaps one was becoming more real as they ventured deeper.

Cadas glanced back as something moved.

"What is it, Cadas?" asked Oresa.

"I thought I saw something," said Cadas.

"Isamu, Urus, act as a rearguard," said Sahshir. "Cadas, Oresa, bring up the middle. Alkela, you are with me. Tuor, do as you like."

They went on, scaling a great set of stairs. As they did, one of the flagstones came loose, and Oresa fell backward. Urus moved forward and caught her.

"Thank you, I..." said Oresa. "I guess I wasn't paying attention."

And, at last, they came out of the steps and into a room with a balcony. And beyond that balcony, they saw their first sight of Gel Carn. It was the fairest castle Sahshir had ever seen, with spiraling white towers. And yet, it was also the most menacing. As he came to the edge and looked at it, he really looked at it. He saw a nemesis—the heart of the enemy that had fought Baltoth to a standstill for ages.

Anoa did not dwell there now, but he will live on. His seething contempt for life and dark thoughts had permeated this land. All the raids and destruction that had so long harmed Calishan soil could be traced back to him. That cursed and violent animal whose spawn was destined to end Baltoth.

No, it would not happen.

Sahshir would not allow this wraith in the form of a knight to triumph. Not while he still drew breath. Calisha would prevail.

"...It's quite a sight, isn't it," said Tuor.

"What is that?" asked Oresa.

"That is Gel Carn," said Sahshir.

"But it's beautiful..." said Oresa.

"It appears that way at first glance to some but changes by the one who gazes at it," said Tuor. "Come, the throne room is beyond that door over there."

"What's the hurry?" asked Isamu.

"We are expected," said Tuor.

They entered the throne room, and the two castles merged. Here was a room filled with a red light. Great raging infernos burned in sphere form, hanging from the ceiling. Dozens upon dozens of armored figures stood, silent and proud. They bore massive swords and nothing of -their faces could be seen within. And at the far end was Adrianeth.

He sat on a black throne, wearing black armor. But his helmet was off. His hair was blue and seemed more like spines than strands, standing upright in a mane. A jagged smile was on his face, and his eyes held within them a certain madness.

"Tuor, you're here at last. Are these them?" asked Adrianeth.

"Yes, Lord Adrianeth, these are the ones I spoke of," said Tuor. "I take it Melchious spoke to you of each in turn."

"Yes, he did," said Adrianeth, eyeing Oresa with a feral hunger. "He was very descriptive of some.

"Once you have seized the Heaven's Eye, I shall provide you whatever cover you require. Tell me, did you tell your puppets what they will face."

"Careful what you say, demon," said Sahshir. "I am King Sahshir of Kalthak; insult my nation at your peril."

"I'll say as I wish," said Adrianeth, smiling wider. "Do you know what awaits you in Gel Carn, boy? Orson himself is in that place."

"Who is Orson?" asked Isamu.

"The greatest knight of Gel Carn," said Sahshir. "He was killed by Anoa the Bright in retribution for an affair with Queen Gwendoven."

"You know your history," said Adrianeth. "More than those within this place, to be sure.

"His spirit resides in Gel Carn, and any who would seek to take the Heaven's Eye must face him. So I'll bet every one of you will be killed before you ever touch that gem.

"Still, for now, I offer you my hospitality.

"For what it is worth."

Sahshir liked this mission less and less. He shared a glance with Isamu, and both knew exactly what the other was thinking. It was time for Tuor to answer some questions whether he wanted to or not.

The room they had been led to was very luxurious. Huge, comfortable beds and a window looking out over the fields. There were ornate carpets and a tapestry on the wall. It showed the image of a vast whirlpool with many spires rising out of it.

Then, Tuor was slammed against it by Isamu, who gripped him by the throat. Sahshir was surprised at how angry he looked. "Alright, Tuor. Start talking."

"About what?" asked Tuor, quite calm.

"You want to tell us why you've been cutting deals with Melchious, the God of Sadism and Torturers," said Isamu. "I've seen the bastard's handiwork. I don't like working with him, especially without knowing it."

"If you want to make arrangements with a member of the hells, you go through Melchious," said Tuor, forcing him off. "Some call him the Eighth Demonic Archon.

"For my part, I think it would be more accurate to refer to him as the Demonic Middleman. He has worked for every power among them at some point and is immensely influential."

"Adrianeth is Baltoth's subordinate. We need no middleman," noted Sahshir.

"True," conceded Tuor. "But Adrianeth has become... rebellious. And so I have taken this indirect route, hoping he will perceive me as of like mind. In doing so, I may get a hint of his plans."

"Sure you are," scoffed Isamu. "This quest is getting shadier all the time."

"Calm yourself, Isamu," said Sahshir.

"And stop telling me to calm myself!" snapped Isamu. "This mission stinks to high heaven, and I'll say as much whether you want me to!"

"What are you proposing as an alternative?" asked Isamu. "To turn back now in the face of Gel Carn, with the quest undone? That would be a waste of all our efforts."

"He's right, Isamu," said Urus. "It's too late to go back, whatever we think."

"And anyway, Tuor is the Disciple of Baltoth. We should trust him," said Oresa.

"It is written:" said Sahshir flatly. "Trust not the man with power until you have seen his deeds."

"Who cares?" asked Isamu in turn.

"They are the holy texts of Baltoth and hold the world's wisdom," replied Sahshir, annoyed.

"So, nobody, then," said Isamu. "It's not my world his wisdom applies to; I'll tell you that."

Sahshir's hand went to his sword immediately, but Tuor caught it. "Sahshir, might I suggest we not bring this to violence so close to victory?

"You two may settle your grievance once the matter is concluded."

"What does Adrianeth get out of this," said Urus.

"Hmm?" said Tuor.

"How does he gain?" asked Urus. "I know he serves Baltoth, but as a demon, I doubt it is out of true devotion."

"You are correct, Urus," said Tuor. "Adrianeth has great power in this region. His reach extends throughout all the empty lands of Gel Carn. However, he cannot use that power.

"The Heaven's Eye emits a massive aura. It purifies demonic energy into spiritual energy. That is why the land here has recovered so well. So long as it remains, Adrianeth is limited only to his strong points.

"Once we have the Eye, he shall be able to muster his power and bring forth an army in this place once more."

"But what about the people?" asked Oresa.

"What of them?" asked Tuor. "They are our enemies, and a second front here is to our advantage."

"They're still people," said Oresa. "It is written:

"'Kick not your enemies when they are down. Help them stand.'"

"You quote in error," said Sahshir, "the phrase is:

"'Kick not your enemy when he is down. Kill them, or help them stand.'

"The verse is a warning against needless cruelty. When you have humbled an opponent, you should integrate their strength into your own. Or failing that, wipe them out so they can never be a threat to you again.

"Only fools deal in cruel mercy."

"And what about my father?" asked Isamu flatly, resentful.

"Rammas serves his purpose by keeping the domain of Hope out of our enemy's hands," said Sahshir. "I am certain Baltoth has other uses for him."

"You-" snarled Isamu.

"Enough!" said Tuor. "Adrianeth will be long delayed in whatever he does. The theft of the Heaven's Eye will be only a long-term benefit. For now, we will rest and press on tomorrow over the fields. It will take some days to reach the inhabited territory.

"And we must be ready to move swiftly."

Sahshir looked to Isamu, then Tuor. He liked this mission less by the minute but meant to see it through. "As you wish."

There would be a time and a place for answers. Sahshir just prayed he wasn't making a serious mistake.