To Save the World...

Chapter 17

"You really mean to continue up the mountain?" Ivorisa asked.

Tavin nodded. He smiled at her worried face. "Yes, Ivorisa. I must go. But, you won't. You, Darvin, and Jez will go no farther."

"What?" Darvin asked, stopping in his tracks.

"Why can't we come with you?" Jez asked. She looked out to the city below and then up to where the lava flowed before returning her gaze to Tavin. "You've allowed us this far. Why not the rest of the way?"

Tavin sighed, bowing his head. After a moment, he looked over to the healer and said simply, "Because the demons that have defiled this mountain would destroy your souls." He gestured behind himself, at the mountain's smoking peak. "I must go, to stop the lava flow and free everyone from the influence of the devils."

Jez nodded. "Very well. Is there any other way we can serve you?"

Tavin shook his head. "No. Not right now. I thank you for accompanying me this far. Now you may stay here or turn and return home."

"What about me?" Musara asked. She bit her lip, looking at her hands. "You said Ivorisa, Darvin, and Jez were to stop here. What about me?"

"You may stay with the others, or you can continue on a little ways farther with me."

"What? But, you said if we went any higher, the demons would destroy our souls!" Ivorisa protested. She grabbed Musara's elbow. "I won't let her go to die!"

Tavin smiled. "Ivorisa, your protectiveness towards your friends is a wonderful trait. It is what makes you a good guard. Musara won't be devoured; her strength of faith will protect her from the dark forces of the devils."

"Her faith is stronger than ours," Darvin agreed quietly. "I always look to her to bolster my own."

"She did hold fast to you, even to the point of nearly dying," Ivorisa whispered. She released Musara's arm.

"How long do you expect to be up there, fighting with the devils?" Darvin asked. "We can wait for you, and escort you back into Karst on your return."

"I'm not going to be fighting with anyone, Darvin," Tavin replied.

Jez gasped. "You're... not planning on coming back, are you?"

"Of course he is," Darvin replied quickly. "He still hasn't guided us to the One Who Must Die, which he promised to do once we were back here, at Karst."

Tavin smiled gently. "I already have, Darvin."

Ivorisa grabbed Musara's arm again, pulling the priestess behind her. "You can't mean Musara! Not after what she's done for you!"

"It would be an honor to die to save our people," Musara protested as she stepped back around Ivorisa. "But, he doesn't mean me." She turned to Tavin and looked at him in silence.

"No, I don't mean Musara," Tavin agreed. "I mean myself. I am the One Who Must Die, so that the world can be saved."

"What?"

"B-but, you're Messor Vitavi!"

"How can the source of life die?"

Tavin held up a hand. The group fell silent. "I know this is hard. You'll understand, with time. For now, let me say this: I came to this world to heal my people and save them from the demons that ravaged them and tormented their souls, drawing them away from me. I came to draw everyone back to myself. To do that, I must stop the influence of the devils by showing how great my love is for all of you—I must die to save you."

"But, Messor Vitavi," Musara protested, "if you die... won't the devils win? If you're gone, who will protect us? Who will give us hope and life?"

"I must die, so that I can bring everyone to renewed life in me," Tavin replied. He glanced behind him; the peak bubbled, pellets of lava bursting in the air to fall to the mountainside and ooze downward. "I must go." He stepped over to Darvin and placed a hand on the guard's shoulder. "Darvin. Thank you for your steady presence and perseverance."

Darvin placed his hand over Tavin's. "It was honor to serve you, even when I didn't know it was you."

Tavin approached Ivorisa next, also placing a hand on her shoulder. "Ivorisa. Thank you for your strength and protectiveness."

"I... can't believe you're leaving us," Ivorisa whispered. "We only just found you."

He smiled at her, squeezing her shoulder gently before moving on to the healer. "Jez. Thank you for your resilience and conviction."

"Thank you for giving me the strength and power to heal so many of your people," Jez replied, blinking back tears.

Tavin stepped away, then turned to the priestess. "Musara?"

"I'll come with you," Musara replied. "I... am not ready to say goodbye yet."

Tavin nodded, met the gaze of each of the others once more, then turned and began walking up the slope.

Musara paused and looked at the others.

"We'll be here, waiting," Darvin reassured her.

"No matter how long it takes," Jez added, wiping tears from her eyes.

Musara smiled at them, then turned and followed after Tavin.

The wind blew the heat from the lava into their faces. The lava had crusts of black in some places, cracks showing the molten rock still flowing underneath. The main river of lava remained bright red and orange, flowing steadily down the slope.

Tavin stopped, holding out his arm to also stop Musara.

"Come no farther," Tavin instructed. "The heat will become unbearable if you keep walking up."

Musara looked up from her feet, blinking against the bright glow of the molten river before them. She stared, transfixed, at the flowing lava.

"Musara."

She tore her gaze away and looked at Tavin; his face was lit by the glow of the lava. "Tav—I mean, Messor Vitavi."

He smiled. "You can still call me Tavin if you like." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "The time has come. Thank you for your enduring faithfulness and your strength in adversity. I know you never wanted to be High Priestess."

"No, I only ever wanted to be an acolyte. But... after the others died... or fled... I..."

"You were the only one left."

She nodded as tears filled her eyes.

He squeezed her shoulder. "You are a wonderful high priestess. You are exactly what the people need; you will lead them through this trial and back into peaceful times. Your faith is inspiring and your heart is beautiful." He smiled at her. "Keep the coin of fate I gave you at the start of this journey close. It is yours to carry until the end of your days."

She swallowed, nodding. "What will we do now? Once you're gone?"

"Return to the temple. My people will need their high priestess to guide them. You'll know what to do when the time comes."

"What good is a high priestess without her god?"

"Oh, Musara." Tavin transferred his hand from her shoulder to her cheek. "I will never leave you."

"But... if you're going to die in order to break the power of the devils..."

"You'll understand, in time." Tavin smiled at her gently, then turned and walked up the slope.