Bk 2: Chapter Five (19)

Lizzy did not consider what it meant to be a Nether person. Did this mean she was now part of the dead? She shook the thought out of her head the next moment. She could not let herself have these thoughts in a burial ground.

"Whether or not I am a Netherworld lady, it does not change the fact that the dead are scary," Lizzy said and Sol turned away to keep moving.

"Worry, not my lady, the dead dare not harm you," she said and Lizzy let the two maids beside her help her forward. She almost felt the need to scream at Sol in anger. Who cares whether they can harm me or not? They should still not show their faces at all!

"Won't there be traps laid out here?" Si Sanga asked cautiously.

"Of course, but it does not matter, we will not let any harm come to her ladyship," Doh answered and Si Sanga almost choked. Wasn't she just saying that he was on his own?

"No matter, we would not risk taking the lady through a dangerous path no matter how strong we are," Sol answered and Si Sanga sighed in relief. They should have just said that in the first place instead of scaring him like that.

"Why doesn't the light touch this place?" Lizzy had to ask. She had noticed since they had arrived that the light that fell upon everything was not like the sun she knew. All parts of everything were touched, not even a shadow was cast.

"The light comes from the Yxorna flower. It is said to cast light upon things in her domain. It does not change the fact that this place is dark," Sol said.

"My lady, the light that one sees here is not true light. Entering the domain of the Yxorna flower, one is upon her spell. Your eyes receive the energy that the flower emits, letting you see all things in the valley. The valley is still dark, my lady. You just can't see the darkness," They walked a while before Lizzy realized what she had said.

"You call it she?" Lizzy asked.

"It was always a she," Doh answered.

"It is a being?" Si Sanga asked, "Such a being, is it right that we enter like this?"

"In this tomb, her light does not exist. This has been claimed by the Nether," Sol answered.

"Why is she stuck here?" Lizzy asked.

"My lady, why do you assume she is stuck?" Re spoke for the first time; her voice was as soft as a child's.

"Why else would anyone stay here, then?" Lizzy asked.

"Legend has it that she and her brothers are waiting for their mother. When she, in particular, had reincarnated enough times till she became this being; the Yxorna, her mother decided to reincarnate saying she would get herself ready in the mortal world in preparation for their arrival. They have been waiting ever since," Sol answered just as they reached their destination. They stood before a door that slid open without a touch, to reveal a large open room. Dust and sand, dirt and black vines, the room held a still air. At its middle, a glowing blue flower was in full bloom. The petals were oddly shaped like perched birds, and black veins crawled along its soft leaves. The moment Lizzy laid eyes on the flower, she felt as though it was looking right back at her, and it was not happy.