The steep slope was posing a lot of danger but Mun was walking with ease on it and even if he was having a problem, he didn't let that manifest in his stride. He was fully aware of Adrianna's pregnancy and couldn't help but feel a strange attraction for the baby.

"Adrianna, I know that when you will reach the portal for entering Elder's territory, you will have to sacrifice your dearest. How much close do you think I am to you?" asked Mun feeling a natural inclination to sacrifice himself for the baby.

​​

Adrianna was shocked at his question. Her grip over his antlers tightened. The weather was so cold, but her hands were clammy. How could she answer that question? Mun was one of her favorites. She pursed her lips and then took a deep breath. "Mun, you are very dear to me…" she spoke truthfully.

Mun barked with joyful laughter. "I knew!"

The broom could fly the trio to the top faster than Mun but the air was heavy. The gravity was weighing them down and the broom could only match the speed at which Mun was walking. It would try to steer forward with speed but a force always stopped it.

The clouds and mist that meandered and shrouded the steep slopes only became denser.

The path became narrower. It wound around the mountain. There was enough space for only one person to walk through it. On the left were steep slopes and on the right valleys far below. Above the clouds rose the blue-tinged peak, which was the destination.

"I am unable to make out the path," said Mun. He was keeping pretty close to Isidorus who was flying ahead still the clouds marred the vision to a great extent.

Isidorus conjured a warm glowing orb and sent it hurling in front of them. The orb spiraled and stopped a few feet in front of them, its yellow light burning dimly – enough to show them the path.

"Adrianna whatever you do, don't look down at the valleys," requested Mun.

"I can't see clearly Mun, so don't worry."

"These valleys have mysterious dwellers who beckon you. They feed on your unhappy emotions. If you look down as much, you will start hearing painful voices," Mun warned.

Adrianna shuddered. "Okay."

They continued treading without speaking. Only the winds whistled along the bare slopes of the Mountains of Tibris.

And the whispers…

Look at me

Come to me

Free me from this anguish

Mun's breathing became labored. "Adrianna…" he said and his foot slipped slightly. There was a sudden clattering of rocks falling near them.

Adrianna held him tightly. "Mun!" she shouted. "What are you thinking?"

Isidorus stopped. The light orb came and stopped in front of Mun.

"Mun!" shouted Adrianna again.

"I can- I can hear them. All those who were sacrificed," he replied as tears fell from his eyes. "I can feel their pain."

Adrianna stroked his thick brown fur. "I want you to look up, okay?"

Suddenly the light orb shone brilliantly. It was so bright that Mun's thoughts snapped. Everyone else covered their eyes with their hands.

A few seconds later Mun shouted, "You foolish orb! Go away. Let me walk."

Isidorus breathed a sigh of relief while others giggled as Mun continued to climb gently.

An hour later they reached and stopped a few feet below on the slope. There was a small crescent shaped plateau on the top flanked by blue-tinged jagged icy peaks that glowed dimly.

Isidorus flew ahead very slowly but was met with resistance. It was as if there was an invisible glass wall that stopped them from going any further. He put his hands in the air and Mun stopped.

"What is it?" asked Dmitri.

"I don't know…"

Suddenly, as if disturbed by the sounds other than the winds created in this eerie place, the wall began to ripple. A large wrinkled face with sockets instead of eyes and skin as pale as death broke through the ripple.

Isidorus receded immediately and shielded Adrianna.

"Who is this?" asked Ed.

"The spirit of the Mountains of Tibris," whispered Mun. "It will demand a sacrifice."

The face turned from left to right and then laughed bitterly showing its toothless mouth. "If you wish to enter, give us the blood of your dearest." He pointed with his chin the place where the sacrifice had to take place.

Adrianna felt nauseated. She started regretting her decision of coming to this place.

"Only a wizard can enter this place and only one wizard will enter." The spirit said with a bone-chilling coldness.

Dmitri became nervous. "No, even I want to enter with my wife!"

The face turned to Dmitri. "Why don't you sacrifice yourself for your wife?"

"Let's not waste time," said Ed, ignoring the words of the spirit. He got down from the broom and went to Adrianna. "Fast Adri…"

Adrianna couldn't move from her place. Her mind became numb. Her limbs refused to move.

Ed knew that she would waver. "We don't have time Adri. Come, I am ready for this."

"No, I am ready for this," Mun interjected.

Ed pulled Adrianna down from her ride. "Come child. I am old and I am happy to be of any service to you. Let us finish this."

Adrianna shook her head, "No, I can't." She shivered. "I love you Grandfather. You are my only family."

The face started laughing again. It repeated, "The family, only family."

Ed dragged her to the place of sacrifice that was an odd black rock, which had turned deep red because of all the blood it had drunk due to eons of sacrifices that were done there.

Ed went and sat on it and took his dagger out. He handed it to Adrianna.

The face rippled back inside only to appear above them. "Quick," it hissed dying to drink that blood.

Adrianna took the dagger. She looked at Ed. Something possessed her. She felt she could see herself from the eyes of Ed. She could see herself, her golden yellow eyes, the black hair tied in a braid over the crown of her head, the white fur cloak she wore and the dagger that she was holding.

She was not Adrianna, she had become something else – with red eyes that lusted for prey, with lips as red as wine and blood flowing through her nose.

She raised the dagger to kill him. Only one emotion she could feel inside – mercilessness.

Suddenly the clouds gathered around them and thunder broke with electricity crackling somewhere near.

She brought down the dagger to plunge inside Ed when instead of Ed, Kayla appeared – her face papery white.

At that moment, she left Ed and entered her own body.

"Kayla!" she screamed in agony. But it was too late. The dagger had found its way inside Kayla's heart.

Adrianna left the handle of the dagger and staggered behind. The blood had splashed on her white cloak spotting it like someone had sprayed the ink with which he was writing. There was blood in her hand. "No, no, no." She covered her mouth with her hands. The metallic tang of blood wafted through her nose. She had killed her sister. She had become a murderer. For what?

Dmitri rushed to Adrianna's side bewildered at what just happened. Ed was standing there with his hand on in his hair stunned at the fold of events. Only Isidorus smiled.

The face's laughter boomed in the mountains.

"Queen of the Wizards, you can now meet the Elder." It disappeared along with the wall.