Standing under the very last peak was the Gate.
The Gate was an imposing edifice. It had stood for millennia before even the Spine was raised.
I could feel a dangerous, dark, foreign power pulsing on the doors.
This was not the time to worry what was beyond. My job was simply to make sure those doors would be able to open.
The last of the mountain slid to the north, keeping the gate free to open.
Finally, the magic started to recede. It released me from its hold at the same time that I released it from my hold.
I looked down and found Rilen and Roran were still with me, still following my magic.
They looked terrible, and I suspected I looked no better.
The magic had one last task for me. Holding Rilen and Roran’s hands, I tapped the last vestiges of my power to push the rocks that covered the cave to the north and south of where we were.
The cavern was destined to be the passage between two great cities, one of druids and one of vampires. A great heaving tremor separated the rocks above our heads, sliding them open, revealing the bright milky white walls of the cave to the sky above.
The path through the Scar was open.
On the other side, for the first time, we could see the vampires we had been separated from for millennia.
This was the prophecy.
This is what I had celebrated not all that long ago.
This was what the historians would write about someday.
The two halves of S’Kir stood on either side of the Scar.
Reunification.
Finally.
We watched the figures at the other end of the chasm stare back at us, just as lost for words as we were.
Or so I thought.
I watched as perhaps two dozen figures not terribly distant from us raised their hands. I raised mine as well, in welcome, in peace.
A series of thunderous explosions echoed off the walls of the chasm we stood in. The sound deafened me and confused me at the same time.
Were they celebrating already?
A hot, hard pain sliced through my leg, and I fell to the side. I looked down and found my leg bleeding, badly.
“Fuck!”
I turned to find the source of the swearing.
Dorian stood over me where I had fallen. There was a look of pure, unadulterated anger on his face. He straightened, his arms stretched to the side, and held the most amazing spell I had ever seen in a bubble around us.
It almost seemed his power was unlimited.
“Rilen, Roran.” His words were steel. “Pick her up. Get her back to the temple, immediately. I will be a moment behind you.”
Each of them threw an arm around me and lifted me off the ground. I could feel myself grow dizzy and faint. I noticed Mistress Ophelia was standing with Dorian.
