“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”

― Søren Kierkegaard

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

― Mother Theresa

As Tabitha was desperately thinking of a way to let the Harkuns know she was not Olana without them getting angry and trying to kill them all. She never took her eyes off the Harkun woman who was still kneeling, they were all still kneeling. Tabitha decided to put an end to that nonsense.

“Stand, all of you stand and look me in the eyes. You are all warriors, right? Stand strong and proud.”

Just like that, the Harkuns stood to their feet. They looked at Tabitha with even more pride and joy, it seems Tabitha’s words made them happy. Well, they’re not too hard to please. As Tabitha thought this, her eyes kept going back to the blond, green eyed Harkun female. Without warning, a name came to Tabitha, a name from the depths of her mind. A name she had never uttered before.

“Sudan, of the Vales Tribe, my First Warrior? That is your name?”

The blond, green eyed Harkun woman nodded with satisfaction.

“Yes, my Lady. I was the first Harkun you ever created.”

“You were once an Arcadian from Tutoron, the original homeworld of the Arcadians.”

Sudan’s eyes widen at Tabitha’s words, her Lady remembered much. Truth be told, it was that other personality, the entity that remembered. That other side of her was giving Tabitha information, it was strange yet comforting at the same time. Tabitha had an idea, she turned her head and called out to the others in the room.

“Guys it’s okay, you can come out!”

Balca and Malice were the first to walk through the door.

“You two!?”

The voice was male and sounded very surprised, Tabitha snapped her head to see a male Harkun with grey hair, grey eyes, with ash-colored horns, tail, and wings. He wore obsidian armor with chainmail and leather and stood at the same height as Sudan.

“I should not be surprised, our Lady always kept you two nearby. She always sought out your advice, always considered your words. I never understood why our Lady kept you two around.”

The male Harkun sounded angry at Balca and Malice, but Tabitha could tell he was putting up a front. He was actually smirking a little, even though he tried to hide it. Balca waved her hand at the male Harkun enthusiastically.

“Wow, Nord! It’s so great to see you again. Still got that stick up your rear?”

Nord scowled at the green she-demon.

“I see you are as disrespectful as ever little mouse.”

Malice sighed and pouted her lips at Nord.

“My dear Nord, you and your brothers and sisters are the greatest warriors in the multiverse. And you can advise Olana on strategies and tactics in war, but for more subtle methods. Ones where dismembering your opponent is not required, you need a more…”

Malice held out her hands gracefully and wiggled her fingers.

“…reasonable tactic. Besides, did you and I not have wonderful times together my big strong Harkun warrior?”

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To Tabitha’s surprise, Nord blushed. It was quite easy to spot since he was an albino, Nord cleared his throat trying to regain some composure.

“Well, yes, we did have some good times in the past. And I came to see the value in your service to our Lady, it is good you have returned Malice. I could do without Balca though.”

At those words, Balca gave Nord the finger with a smile. Nord ignored her and continued.

“But sometimes in life you have to take the good with the bad.”

Sudan looked at Nord and shook her head.

“Men. No matter what species they are, men are all the same.”

“Nord, Sudan.”

The call came from Lydia, she and Nanina held up their hands in greeting. Both Nord and Sudan looked ecstatic to see the twins.

“Lydia and Nanina, by the Lady.”

Nord exclaimed.

“I thought you were both dead. It is so good to see you twins alive and strong.”

Sudan said, she had tears at the corners of her eyes. Zula, Talin, and Sandra looked confused and bewildered at the greetings and exchanges. But Tabitha who was watching the back-and-forth conversations, she came to realize one important fact. Malice, Balca, and the twins have been holding out on me. Tabitha sent a mental message to all of her companions; she said one simple thing.

“We are all going to have a long talk later.”

Tabitha received mental nods from everyone, so she was free to go back into the conversation.

“Sandra come forward.”

Sandra did not hesitate, she walked to Tabitha’s side, and she had a strange look on her face. It took Tabitha only a few moments to realize what she was seeing on the War Leader’s face. Sandra had the face of a…worshipper? It was then that Tabitha remembered what Sudan had said. Olana to the Arcadians is their goddess. To Sandra she has been in the company of her deity, to her I am her goddess. Tabitha groaned inwardly; she is going to have a hard time convincing the Harkuns of who she truly is. To add the Arcadian War Leader to that mix, well she would have to take it one step at a time.

“Sudan, may I present to you, my guest. Sandra of the Vales Tribe of Avalon. War Leader of her own band.”

Sudan did a double take; she gave Sandra a searching look and found some of her features on the Arcadian woman’s face. But Tabitha was not finished with the introductions.

“And Sandra, may I present to you the First Warrior, Sudan of the Vales Tribe of Tutoron.”

Sandra blinked in surprise, and her eyes blinked in thought. When they sparkled to life once more, she said.

“Sudan of the Vales Tribe of Tutoron. You were the first Arcadian to be turned into a Harkun, the first to become warrior companion to Olana.”

Sandra grabbed her head with both hands and looked at all the Harkuns before her.

“When I heard this fortress had Harkuns in it, I thought you could not be the Harkuns of legend. But you are, and that means that this fortress is—”

“The Great Crystal Pyramid of the Nether Realm.”

Sudan finished for her. Tabitha blinked once, and then she remembered what Zula had said the first day she came to the Nether Realm. Olana was the Devil Queen of the Great Pyramid of the Nether Realm. We are inside the Crystal Pyramid; I really need to talk to the twins. By then, Sudan had approached Sandra, while Sandra was an impressive 7 and a half feet in height. Sudan’s 12-foot frame dwarfed the Arcadian War Leader. Sudan placed a comforting hand on Sandra’s shoulder and spoke.

“It looks to me that you Sandra might be descended from my line. When we have time, we will sit and talk. I would love to hear about my heirs’ and their struggles and victories.”

“Okay then, before we all get to know more about each other. I feel that there is one more thing to be done, the Crystal Pyramid has awoken. But it is not yet fully functional. It needs something else.”

As Tabitha finished those words, the Crystal Pyramid itself hummed continuously. Sudan nodded.

“Of course, my Lady, forgive us. You must go to the throne room; there you can fully activate the Crystal Pyramid.”

As Sudan said this, Tabitha automatically looked up. While there were many levels inside the pyramid, the main floor separating the upper and lower levels. From the main level going up, the center of the pyramid is empty space. On the top floor is the throne room, and there are four ways to reach the throne room. First the throne room can be reached by stairs. There are two entrances into the throne room you can enter by stairs. But this tends to be slower because there are 60,000 steps to take in order to reach the throne room.

The second way to reach the throne room is by elevator, there are a hundred elevators on the main level. All of them go to different levels throughout the pyramid, but there is only one main elevator which goes directly to the throne room on the top floor level. A few of the elevators are like elevators you would recognize on the earth realms. However, most of the elevators in the pyramid are opened circular platforms. All the elevators do not run on electricity, instead, runes have been carved into the elevators. Allowing them to hover or levitate, and not just up and down. These elevators can move from side to side, forward and backward, and even diagonally.

The third way is from the outside. Inside the throne room, there are doors that open to the outside. There are even outdoor balconies, also, there are multiple entrances and exits leading out of the pyramid. Lastly, the best and fastest way to reach the throne room is by flying up from the main level through empty space. The throne room floor has a trap door that opens and closes to those who have been granted access to the top level. Tabitha spread her large blue wings and flapped them once. Taking to the air and heading straight for the throne room.