Within These Tangled Tales

Chapter Forty-Two

—Howling Abyss, Velara—

"I know what the Wolves want with the Beginning." It hadn't been what Rhiorr meant to say, but there was no taking it back now. The camp stilled at his confession, all eyes turned toward him in disbelief. The only gaze he cared for in that moment was the Hero's. They were just beginning to gather their things and return to their route after some much needed, yet insufficient, rest. The Hero was staring at him.

"Well, why wouldn't you say something before now?" she asked, flabbergasted at his patience to reveal such information.

"Because you mortals needed your rest, and if I told you before, you would've insisted we kept walking."

"Yes, but..."

"What difference does it make? I'm telling you now."

The Hero sighed, no argument ready on her tongue as she looked at her husband. The elf's emerald gaze was cold when he looked at him, perhaps ready to hit him for keeping critical information to himself, but Rhiorr remained unbothered. He turned, instead, to Zenn'a for confirmation.

"You said, the Wolves want nothing more than to free Fen'Danar and bring about the destruction of the worlds?" Rhiorr asked, waiting until Zenn'a nodded to push ahead with his theory. "I told you all the Beginning is where we first stepped out of Emma'Shalaar and into these new worlds. The door to the Grave remains there, though it is locked. The temple I was caged in and the others like it, they were made to reopen that door, to channel our energy, our aether into the door to open it."

The Hero shook her head. "Aldressa said there was another purpose to the temples."

"Yes, but...that was what we knew, and that place, the Beginning, it's the easiest place to reach to the Grave."

"So," Zenn'a stepped to his side. "If they go to the Beginning and open the Grave, the Wolf can just step out like you did?"

Rhiorr shook his head. "It might be what they hope, but it won't happen so easily. The Grave can be reached from anywhere theoretically, but it is the easiest point of attack. It's where I'd go if I wanted to unleash Fen'Danar. However, to do so, they would need enormous power."

"Like what the Creator has?" The Hero confirmed.

Rhiorr nodded. "And now that I think about it, the Wolves are working with my sister, who used Xaelan to track down and absorb the souls of the thirteen sacrifices meant to open that door. Not only that but the Wolves are looking for the gems of Angra'savonon. Either should be enough to open the door for them."

"Great," the Hero sighed. "So, they have what they need, mostly anyway. The gem in Namera is still safe, far as we know, and Xaelan didn't get all the souls. It might buy us enough time before they open the door, then."

"You said it wouldn't be easy," Kailus frowned, "releasing the Wolf, but the same thing will happen, won't it? Like when Xaelan ripped open the sky? We'd die."

"Yes," Rhiorr answered bluntly. "When the Grave pours into this world, everyone, save the Dark Ones and those with a connection to the Grave, will die."

"How do the Wolves expect to survive, then?" Adix inquired. "Won't they perish before they can release their god?"

"Ah," Rhiorr nodded, something coming to mind. "Not if the elite, privileged few are in possession of ancient relicts. The gems. They would protect them. Perhaps not forever, but long enough to reach the Wolf. Yet even should all of that succeed, I doubt very much they could release Fen'Danar."