An Old Friend indeed

"How many of Berick's fires are left? It has been a while since the last has it not. What a fool to think I would not intervene with his rescue."

Without the form of Garus blocking her vision Lyrea was able to see what she was blinded to before, small dim stars laid out like a path, ones that stretched on and on with an unknown distance in between.

"Go. Crawl and warm yourself by the remains of his life, of the eternal flame that granted him his immortality. Finish off the final remains of Asmonon's dearest friend."

Baleful winds tugged and slowed each of Lyrea's steps as ice hung from her form, stabbing and biting at skin Lyrea could no longer feel, Garus's shrouded figure no longer blocked her view, instead, he pushed the world against her, seeking to make her succumb.

"You should have seen the look upon Asmonon's face as I drove a blade through his back, pinning him to his lover, as she tore at his throat. We were happy, we had done it, we had used the mere fragments he granted us to claim the map and could reshape the worlds at a whim. But I was too naive."

Ice shards flew through the sky and sliced through Lyrea's form as more blood froze upon her, painting her in a scarlet gown, twinkling amongst the ice.

"I assumed I could control the map, but it unraveled at a touch. In rage we threw Asmonon amongst dying stars, we crushed him beneath the weight of mountains but he held that same, knowing look. It was I who stripped the flesh from his frame, I gouged his eyes and fed them to dogs, I cut apart his world to form a prison to which he would remain."

Stumbling ever forward Lyrea let Garus's words slide over her, only concentrating on the light before her.

"Go. Sit by the fire before you, collapse by it and struggle to stand once more. You are as intolerable as he."

With the burning upon her skin Lyrea lay like a corpse as Koel rattled and shook upon her neck, urging her to stay awake as Garus watched from afar, waiting for the final fire to snuff.

Slowly, like a dying candle the fire grew tight, shrinking under the touch of cold as Garus drew close, carrying with him a bitter solitary wind.

"Shake and rattle Asmonon, she can no longer hear you."

"Her blood no longer flows, her skin so pearlescent and pure is now cracked and broken. How delectable she looks, how perfect for this world of ice."

Whirling around Garus stretched out a shrouded finger, ever so cautiously stroking a single strand of black hair as the fire beside Lyrea was but a spark.

"See how you are still useless before me Asmonon, once again I have beaten you."

Slowly, fanatically, Garus stretched his hand forward, reaching for Koel as the world of ice began to shake, the winds mourning with their frigid might as the hand grew closer, ready to free itself of its own doings.

With a click a piece of bone fell once more, causing Garus to fly backwards, his figure vanishing in an instant.

"...Rise my dear. You have arrived at your destination…"

With a gasp Lyrea awoke, her eyes wide as she heard Koel's voice resound through her, guiding her, compelling her to continue.

"A fool's choice. That fire will not prolong her life any longer."

"...it doesn't need too."

"No. Nooo. Asmonon!"

With gritted hatred Garus sprang forward again, reaching out for Lyrea as her form stood again, like a puppet her arms moved, letting her blood down onto the fire beneath. The drops did not fall but disappeared as a bright white door was opened, one that led to a familiar white bridge.

"ASMONON! Don't you dare. Stop girl. I command you. Listen to me, heed me. I am King here."

"...You are a shadow, bound to a world you cannot escape."

Garus's figure was halted mid-air as Koel spoke once more, his rage driving Garus back as the snowy winds abated and ice froze in the sky.

"I WILL NOT BE DENIED AGAIN!"

Stood in the doorway of light Lyrea turned to look upon the form of Garus now revealed, one of a beggar like man, hungered and starved, left alone with madness dancing in his eyes.

"He is not yours, none of this world is yours. You have bent and broken this world into a prison, but you too are a prisoner of it. You desire knowledge, then know this, you will remain here forever with the knowledge that you let the only chance of ever escaping slip through your fingers because you lacked the courage to take what was handed to you. You, who have succeeded in nothing."

Turning her back Lyrea disappeared through the door of light as it drew shut once more, leaving no mark as Garus tore at the ground where it had been, whilst across the rest of the icy world the small fires gently dwindled and faded.

An old friend indeed.