We spent the following days in Raiya’s tree house. Agatha was slowly recovering. She woke up on the second day of our stay. Although weak, she seemed grateful for the help. Zoey warmed up to the warlock ever since Agatha woke up. Not that Raiya cared, we barely saw her during the first week of our stay anyway. She usually spent her time outside or in her private quarters, beneath the living room.

Problems arose on the fourth day. Eli decided to head to town. He was still willing to go to Milogac and decided to find his own way there. Riaya didn’t stop him, but she didn’t allow Zoey outside. The argument got so heated I feared Raiya would feed the Sister to Sisha.

Agatha intervened however, siding with Raiya. The Sister was wanted. Her organization, affiliated to the goddess Aella, was present throughout Hera. She’d be caught the moment she steps foot in civilization.

As for me, I buried my head in books. Raiya told me that Milogac was out of bounds to all non-magic users. Going there in my current state was akin to suicide. I believed her. So I started reading on magic, Essence and Conduits, all of which were foreign subjects to me. I tried to find something about the Holi Wars, about the Church too. Although I escaped, I wasn’t out of the woods yet.

Eli on the other hand argued that Raiya was trying to keep us imprisoned, so he set off on his own. I didn’t really object. The man became distant ever since we left the eastern continent. For four days, he barely ate or sat with us in the living room.

He stayed in his room. I’d hear him mutter something at night as I walked by his door. It was gibberish for all I knew. The language he spoke was foreign. When he left, my shoulder felt heavier. I didn’t know I felt responsible for him until he left. But no matter, I wasn’t his knight in shining armor. He could take care of himself.

On the fifth day, Raiya came to my room. She’d never done that. Something about the way she looked at me made my heart jump. Something was wrong, I knew it, I felt it. She sat on a divan in the bedroom she generously provided and crossed her legs. She kept staring, I didn’t speak. I didn’t know what to say although I racked my brain to think of something.

All I could think of were her emerald eyes, her wide hips and her long hair that brushed against them as she walked. My heart started beating faster, and I felt sweat on my palms. She wasn’t talking yet. What did she want?

My eye fell on the black leather corset she wore on top of a white shirt. Her ample bosom was peeking from beneath the already tight shirt. I realized I’d been staring so I looked up. She was still there, staring at me, unmoving. Did she realize I was staring? Was she upset about it? The smell of her perfume invaded my nostrils then. I inhaled all of it. I was now swimming in a world of beauty and tenderness. Nothing could ruin my mood, unless I ruin hers.

“Myles, we need to talk about those bones you keep,” she said at last.

“What about them?” I said, dreamily I must add. I barely heard what she said. But I willed myself to concentrate. She needed my help and I was willing to oblige.

“Was there any sign of the ghost since your escape?”

“No, the bones rattle from time to time. I don’t even know what that means.”

“It means she’s trying to communicate something,” Raiya clarified, “which means she’s restless.” To that statement, the bones, which I kept in an old trunk, rattled violently.

“And why would you assume that?” I asked, casting a nervous look at the trunk.

Raiya didn’t answer. I looked around and found her staring again. It didn’t help that she was wearing lipstick. It didn’t help that my cheekbones felt as though they were burning. It didn’t help that I inhaled that perfume again and felt like a love-struck puppy. She brushed her silver blond hair aside then spoke.

“Ghosts hate witches, but they fear warlocks. Since I’m one, I don’t believe she’d show willingly.”

“Er, okay?”

She smiled, and my world brightened. “I’m saying she’s got something to hide. She didn’t ask to go to Milogac for nothing.” The bones rattled again and I looked away. The trunk had moved slightly to the left. Wait a minute, something was actually wrong. That perfume, I know it. I can’t remember where I’ve smelled it before, but I know it.

I looked at Raiya once more. Oh gods and heavens above! Why do they wear such tight outfits? Why torture us then reprimand us for unintentional goggling? The perfume… Aaaah bliss!

“The ghost wants to go to Milogac,” I said. “Maybe...” the perfume again, can I have her handkerchief? I’d sniff it all day! Oh yeah, I was talking to her. “Maybe the ghost didn’t know about the Holi Wars.”

“Do you even know what the Holi Wars are Myles?”

“Some make-a-wish fairy tale,” I answered. Can I make a wish too? I know exactly what I’d ask for.

The bones rattled again, this time more violently. I looked around and the trunk had moved. It was no illusion this time. It actually changed positions. I felt the perfume creeping up to my nostrils once more.

“Stop it!” I snapped.

“Stop what?” Raiya innocently asked. Her large emerald eyes were fixed on mine. She tried to charm me some more but I’d figured out her trick.

“You know what I mean,” I said. My voice came out harsher than intended. No wait a minute, that’s exactly how I wanted it to sound. She’s still playing with me, that Roosa’al!

Raiya brushed her hair to the other side and blinked at me. She feigned ignorance, and I was starting to believe her. Was she the one moving the trunk? Or was it moving by itself?

“What is it Myles?”

I glared at her. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”

“What is “this”? You don’t make any sense,” she said. She concealed her smile very well. She was definitely playing.

“Back in Yanoku, when you were Viraldo’s guest. You tried charming me, the same way you’re doing now. The perfume, I can’t forget that perfume…” I stopped for a while. Then it occurred to me. I can’t forget the perfume… forget… Yanoku… The Desert and the dry weather…

Raiya was smiling. Her dimples carved deep holes on her cheeks. She was more beautiful than ever. Her shining eyes brought me hope. I was recovering, I remembered who she was. And suddenly, the feeling of gratitude made sense. She’d given my little sister a chance to have a caring mother. I could never forget that debt.

“But, why the treachery?” I asked.

“I needed to be sure,” Raiya answered. “I didn’t know whether your memory loss was self-induced or caused by Utar.”

“And what’s your verdict?”

“Self-induced.”

“Is it bad?”

“It could have been worse,” Raiya’s smile didn’t fade. It felt as though I finally reunited with an old friend. She did owe me her life. And she repaid the debt beautifully.

“Can I regain all of it?”

“Yes,” she said, still smiling. That felt like a mountain’s been lifted off my back.

“How?”

“Next week is the equinox. There will be a feast and mages, witches and wizards from all over Sayang will come to celebrate. We’ll attempt recovering your memories then.”

“Why wait until the equinox?” My heart was still beating fast. Not as a result of the enchantment, but of excitement.

“If you attempt the process alone, it could kill you. If Sisha or I try to help you, we might kill you as well. Our energy signatures are different. You don’t have enough to sustain a trip down memory lane, and I can’t support you with my own.

“Our only choice is to go to a big gathering, where people with all kinds of energies will unite. You’ll be able to tap into the energy in the air and make it your own. With that, you’ll attempt to get all your memories back.”

“Attempt?”

“I can’t go through the details with you now. You have a parasite that needs getting rid of.”

“What? Do you mean?” I glanced quickly at the trunk.

“It’s only a theory, but we can’t rule it out.”

“What do we do?”

“I need you to listen to me, and keep an open mind,” her smile had vanished. We were back to serious matters.

I nodded.

“The Holi Wars aren’t legends passed down through families. They’re real, and they’re not a make-a-wish fairy tale. They’re worse, far worse than you could imagine. Going in there unprepared means eternal suffering. You don’t die when you lose in the war. You reincarnate as lower tier beast, destined to be slayed by champions over and over.”

I raised an eyebrow. All of this sounded Kasmuk to me. In other words, a language I couldn’t understand. (Would you look at that I’m remembering stuff now!) But I didn’t interrupt. I kept my mouth shut and urged the warlock to keep talking.

“Each Cycle, the Eternal Moon is summoned for the Holi Wars. The Eternal Moon chooses its champion depending on the offering. If the summoner’s offer isn’t sufficient, the Eternal Moon takes his life and the life of his companions, as well as all their bloodline. However, if your offering is accepted…” Raiya bit on her lower lip. It wasn’t the enchantment this time. That woman was a beauty beyond compare. “…well you receive the Holus.”

“Holus?” I asked. I couldn’t contain my curiosity.

“It’s a source of power,” Raiya explained, albeit with an exasperated sigh. “The one holding the Holus is considered a God walking among mortals.”

“That’s not so bad,” I said. “What’s this got to do with the ghost?”

“I thought I said no interrupting.”

“Sorry…” How can I not interrupt while she keeps shooting bizarre concepts at me?

“The Holus, as I said, grants its holder godly powers. However, the fusion between the Holus and the summoner takes time, about four months. If the summoner dies before that, the Holus disappears forever. That’s where other champions come into the picture. There is a way to get into the Holi Wars without summoning the Eternal Moon.”

I arched my eyebrows questioningly. Raiya smiled, grateful that I didn’t interrupt.

“Other champions are summoned to repel the Holus holder. Do that and you shall reap outstanding rewards, legendary armor and weaponry, celestial and divine spells, a sorcery Orb for storing pure Essence, the list goes on. But that’s not all, if you beat the Holus holder you get to participate in the other Wars.”

“But there won’t be another war until the next cycle,” I interrupted.

“That’s the beauty of it. You get a chance at extending your lifespan. It’s the lifelong struggle of humanity. How can one live forever?” Raiya waited for me to answer.

“You mean, there’s a way to become an immortal?”

“The easiest method is to merge with the Holus. You’ll become powerful and immortal. The other method is to survive three Wars in a row. You’ll be granted a Holus and power beyond mortal limits.”

That sounded nice and useful but, “why wouldn’t they just summon the Eternal moon and keep ahold of the Holus then? It’s easier, as you said.”

“The summoner of the Eternal Moon is usually considered the Dark Lord. He, or she, would be unleashed upon the world, to finish it off with his or her newly acquired powers. Every apocalypse has a doom knight. The Holus is doom, the knight is the summoner. Let them merge and they’ll bring the world to an end. Nobody wants to be the death bringer. It pays off to be a hero.”

“And if you survive three Wars?”

“The organizers gift you a Holus with pure energy. The one the summoner gets is filled with darkness. Be the hero and no one will come fight you for the well-deserved Holus.”

“Organizers?” I thought these things happened because of nature and fate. Who would organize such a barbaric war?

“They’re deities,” Raiya answered. “According to legend, each one of them had accumulated nine Holi, that’s the plural of Holus. They’d ascended to a different form of being. They don’t need those puny cores containing energy. They need entertainment.”

“So they’d set us off to fight each other?” How twisted can this get? People worship gods, thinking they were merciful. And here I am, hearing that they love watching us fight!

“Really, Myles?” Raiya raised an eyebrow. “You’ve spent all your life fighting. You’ve seen what happens in the Crucible. People love watching others fight. We’re no different from them.”

Damn she was right. But why was she telling me all this? I asked her and she explained.

“So, you’re saying that the ghost means to finish our world?”

“I can’t speak for her, but it’s the best theory I could come up with.”

“And you need me in order to speak to her.”

“Yes. Not only that, if she’s truly willing to summon the Eternal Moon, then it means she’s linked to you somehow.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you feel docile?” Riaya asked. “The others are sitting here restless, while you spend your time reading and sipping tea.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” I didn’t feel like going out, that’s true. But that was only because I chose to. Nobody influenced me to do it.

“Let’s go out,” Raiya said then stood up. “Look, we’re in a different continent, the Church can’t get to you. Let’s go to town and have a drink. You’ll enjoy it.”

“Nah, I’m fine.” I answered. The town sure sounds nice. But I have everything I need here. I have my books and food. Why bother going out?

“Well, let’s just go for a walk around the house. We won’t go far. There are some beautiful flowers I wanted to show you.” Raiya wasn’t going to let this go. I felt anger building up. Why wouldn’t she leave me alone? I said I was fine.

“Can’t you just bring them to me?” I asked.

“If I picked them, they’d wither and die immediately. Come,” she extended her hand toward me. “Let’s go!”

The hand of the woman I admired a few minutes ago became the source of my anguish. “No, really, I’d rather stay here.”

“It’ll be fine,” Raiya insisted. Her hand was still outstretched. “I’ll be here with you, besides, Sisha will join us.”

I didn’t know why I did it, but I slapped her hand away. I hit it so hard I felt my palm hit the bone underneath the flesh. I heard a mental hiss in my mind and felt lost, dizzy, angry, enraged.

“LEAVE ME ALONE!” I heard myself shout. But the voice I heard wasn’t mine, it was a mix between a man and a woman’s, deep and angry, really angry!

“Sopor!” Raiya shouted as she pointed her hand, the one I hit, at me. My head suddenly felt heavier and my eyelids closed without my consent.