My sleep was, as it turned out, not very restful. Not right away anyway. Even in my dreams the fever my body was running haunted me. For a while it turned my dreams upside down in weird ways. They weren't exactly nightmares but they weren't really pleasant either. I couldn't really tell how long that was going on either. I woke several times only to fall back asleep quickly after someone, it might have been Kaele but I wasn't sure about that either, made me drink some water or tea. Finally though the fever subsided enough for me to catch some actual restful sleep.

Even then my sleep was not dreamless though. I found myself in a place of strange proportions surrounded by gently wafting mist instead of whirling darkness like last time. I blinked once and rubbed at my eyes. I recognized the place. I recognized the stone floor as well as the line of impossibly detailed sand pictures spiraling away into the distance from the one the Maidens were currently fussing over.

Well, at least two of them were busy painting a sand picture of me resting and recovering with my sister watching over me. The Crone stood a little ways away, like last time, leaning on her broom while the Lover sat besides the unfinished picture, plucking away at a handy harp, weaving the notes into a happy little tune. It was the Crone who spoke first. “You cut it pretty close this time. You cut it pretty close once again. I was afraid I would actually have to swing the broom this time around.”

I blushed a little as she reprimanded me. Before I could stammer a reply the Lover cut me off though. “Yes, it was close but she prevailed. It is like we assumed. Our fallen sister has set her sights on you and every time you thwart her, her anger will rise even higher. She has gotten a taste of you and greed and gluttony will drive her to try again and again.”

The young girl, the Maiden, was obviously done with her part of the current picture. “It was to be expected. Our sister does not take kindly to being told no.” She danced away from her latest work to grab my hand. Without ever stopping she dragged me to another picture in the spiraling line. “That isn't what is most worrying though.”

We stopped at an image depicting my fight with the pale king. She pointed at the sky above the trees, the nighttime sky with the new moon. “Although you thwarted her at every turn so far, her power grows. The phase of the new moon has been growing longer. I'm afraid that she might actually slip her chains if this keeps up.”

The phase of the new moon was getting longer? How did that even work? And had I thwarted the Devourer really at every turn? I took the Maiden by the hand and started walking down the line of pictures until I found the one I had been looking for. It depicted me atop the hill where I killed the giant wyvern. It did not depict me in triumph though. It depicted me as I had briefly been at the mercy of that eerily familiar vampire. I pointed at her. “That one has gotten away not once but twice now. She seems familiar. It is almost as if she were like me.”

The others, including the Mother, joined us to look at the monster I was pointing out. The Maiden and the Lover shook their heads in unison. The latter spoke up. “That one is dangerous for sure, but she is nothing like you. None of the souls corrupted by our fallen sister are anything like you.”

I felt reassured by her words, yet I also felt as if she was not saying everything that could be said on the matter. I decided to let it slip for now though. They would tell if I really needed to know. Or maybe those fuzzy memories I could not quite recall most of the time would clear up eventually.

The Maiden hugged me, as if she had felt my inner conflict. “Don't worry. Just be yourself.”

The Crone looked a little more worried than the others though. “That vampire … could it be that our mad sister has chosen a real champion herself this time, instead of just recruiting more pawns, some of them more powerful or more expendable than others?”

The Mother frowned at that suggestion. “That would be a first. I'm not sure if it could really work out for her though, even if she did. Champions are so very unlike pawns after all.” Despite her argument she sounded worried though. She turned to face me. “Either way, take her out if you get the chance. Don't let her get away a third time. Vampires are not just mindless monsters. They can grow and learn if you give them the chance. You wouldn't want that to happen.”

The Lover had returned to her harp and was plucking away at the strings again. Despite the cheerful tune she played her face was serious. “Our sister won't give up. Not even now that you defeated one of her older and more powerful ghoul kings, at least among those roaming the lands outside the Ringwall Mountains. She will try again. And whatever she will send after you next, it will probably be worse than the terrors you already had to face.”

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of these monsters. “There are worse?”

She looked up from her harp without missing a single note. “Much worse. None of the wyverns you killed so far could ever compare to a real dragon and the ghoul kings roaming the desert at the heart of the world are much older, more powerful and cunning than any you encountered so far.” Finally she put the instrument down again as the last notes faded. “You need to keep growing and learning to face the challenges ahead of you.”

I felt dread rise in me. Was that all the future would have in stock for me? “Won't I ever know peace? Won't she ever give up?”

The Maiden shook her head. “She will never give up now that she tasted blood. It isn't in the nature of our twisted sister.”

The Crone continued. “Only in death will mortals ever know true peace but that is not what you are yearning for.”

The Lover nodded. “What you are longing for are happier times, and that happiness is something you can build with your own arms, your own strength. Our sister isn't all powerful. No matter how much she might rage, if you don't let her, she can't control your life.”

Finally the Mother put a hand on my shoulder, to pull me in close for a hug. “Just don't ever forget that life is more than just struggle. If you seek happiness you have to lay the foundations yourself. Its not that hard either. Keep your friends close and never stop making new ones. Speak words of kindness every once in a while. Lend a helping hand to those in need. It can be quite simple really, as long as you are willing to make the effort. Just don't ever forget that life is about more than the next fight.”

I looked her in the eyes. “But where should I even start?”

She just laughed. “Haven't you already?”

One after another the others drew close to envelop me in hugs as well, each one in their own way. As they spoke again they spoke in unison. “Don't ask us which way you should travel. You are a champion, not a pawn. You'll find your own way.” My surroundings started to fade slowly, as their last words reached me. “We have faith in you.”

As I opened my eyes again it was to meet the worried gaze of my sister. “Fiannly, sleepy head. They were already talking about lighting the pyres without you.” She wiped some sweat off my forehead with a wet cloth before handing me a cup with tea. “Drink. You were running a fever and sweating quite a lot. That was a nasty bite. These headhunters seem not to really believe in dental hygiene or hygiene in general for that matter.”

I groaned and sat up, so I'd have an easier time drinking the tea. “Yeah they probably don't care much about things like that.” I sniffed at my tunic and grimaced. “Is there time for a quick bath and a change of clothes?”

She laughed, genuine relief showing on her face. “I think we can talk these pyromaniacs into waiting just a little longer.” She rose to her feet and offered me a hand so I could get up as well.

I took the offered hand. It took me a moment to work the kinks out of my muscles once I was back on my feet though. I had lain still entirely too long. At least that was what my body seemed to be hinting at. I smiled at my sister as she picked up a change of clothes for me. “Lets not make them wait any longer than necessary though.”