Akhkaba ran into his tent, not even bothering to light the oil lamp. He sat down on his mat and stared at the cover of the book until the numb feeling overtook him again. The soft voice began to speak to him. It urged him to open the book, so he did. A blank page stared back at him. Confused, he frantically began to flip through the pages. Each page he turned was just as empty as the last. Perplexed, he closed the book and placed it down beside him. He looked up to find himself no longer in his tent. Instead he looked out over a sea of golden sand that stretched infinitely in every direction. The clouds and sun were replaced by a pitch black sky. Although there was no source of light in the sky, it was still bright enough that he could see. He looked around and spotted two columns standing in the distance. There appeared to be a person standing in front of each one. He took a step in that direction but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Not there." The voice belonging to the hand stated. Akhkaba recognized the warm calm voice. "This way, follow me." The person took his hand prompting him to turn around to follow. The being that walked in front of him seemed to have a body made entirely of shadow. He couldn't make out its face but it appeared to be wearing a white mask. Akhkaba followed silently as the gold shimmering sand morphed into steps that led them down. "Where are we going?" Akhkaba finally asked after walking for what seemed like a few minutes. "I need to get back to my brother. I'm sure he's wondering where I am. I mean, I'm wondering where I am. What is this place and who are you?" "Shhhhhh." The being replied. "We are almost there. Then they will tell you anything you need to know." Akhkaba pulled his hand back in protest. "No! I said tell me where we are or I'm going back!" "Hello there book bearer. Is there a problem." Akhkaba turned around to find the stairs they just descended, replaced by a man wearing a long dress like robe sitting in a large flamboyant arm chair. "Who are you?" And where am I?" Akhkaba asked assertively. The man chuckled. "I am The Ecolni. And as for where you are, well you see this is a plain of existence that the book has allowed your consciousness to travel to at my request." Akhkaba looked around at the room made of golden sand. "I don't understand." The Ecolni chuckled again. "Yes I suppose you wouldn't. Well, to make things simple I need someone new to be in possession of the book. The one who held it last, while very gifted she wouldn't hold up her end of the deal and set me free. She just squandered the gifts I offered her. So when war provided a chance I instructed my servants on the outside to retrieve the book and find another holder. Which brings me to you." “I don't know what any of this is but you can count me out. I'm going back." He turned back to the shadow being but it was gone. Ecolni walked over to Akhkaba. "You see, I've learned from my past mistakes. I won't be making any deals with you." The sand started to swirl around Akhkaba forming a cage around him. "Hey! Hey! Let me out of here! What are you doing?" Akhkaba slammed on the surprisingly solid bars of the sand cage. "Now unfortunately my being cant exist on that lower plain of yours, but the merging of my essence and your body will create a new being entirely. It won't be me or you but something else. And I'm sure it will carry out my previously interrupted plans I had for you filthy, ungrateful, human disease." The Ecolni laughed as the sand stairs formed once again and he began to ascend. "Wait! No please! My brother... my brother needs me! I'm all he has left! He doesn't have anyone else!" Akhkaba pleaded. Ecolni stopped his accent and turned back to Akhkaba. "Then I'll make sure to kill him first. You see, I'm not so bad hahahahahahaha!" Akhkaba screamed and slammed on the bars as the golden sand closed in around him.

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