13 Challenge Fate

Morah awoke inside the circle of fire, but there was no one else around this time. She groaned as she tried to move, her rib felt like it was completely shattered. Even so she tried to stand, using a staff from the circle to support her. She put her hands over the fire, burning away what was tying them together, even if it hurt. 

Morah carefully moved out of the circle towards the ball of feathers that could only be Anya. In the dim light she saw that the bird was still breathing, but only just enough to be considered alive. 

Far away there was a bright light that turned from blue to white, making Morah squint due to its brightness. It was like a star had exploded into nothingness as the light eventually faded away. She saw various other lights between her and the dead star turn bright and then fade. 'What did Dorin do?'

"We lost." Ara said, walking out of the darkness.

"Where are the others?"

"Kari just disintegrated in front of me, so I don't think there are any others."

Morah bit her lip, unsure what Ara would do. In her state all she could hope for was a quick death if the girl decided to keep fighting. 

"I'm done. I never truly wanted Lonn to win anyway."

. . .

Dorin had been walking for quite a while, but the circle of fire was still half an hour away. 

Thinking of Morah and Anya was all that was keeping him going. He would never forgive himself if they died before he could at least say goodbye. He didn't want to end up like Lonn, who never got the chance.

What Lonn had said about Kari moved him, and for a moment he saw the Lonn of the past. An imaginative kid who always chose to be on the side of good in their childish games. Dorin had always thought that once they claimed their duty to humanity his true nature would finally show again, but that would never happen now. 

Dorin spent the rest of the walk examining Lonn's ego. It was like a basic wooden die, but on its edges there were licks of black flame. Dorin was glad that he didn't have such an unstable ego, even if it could make him all powerful. The damage that it had done to the forest around him was reason enough. 

Dorin struggled to put one foot in front of the other by the time he found Morah and Anya lying down together, and he was surprised to see Ara sitting with them. 

"You look like a corpse." Ara said. "They're both alive, for now." 

Dorin rushed over to Anya. The moment he touched her the connection between them returned. 

"Is there any food left from your group?"

"No, we ate it all thinking that tonight would be our last."

Dorin took out Lonn's ego, 'I hope this works.' He pressed it against Anya, and a wave of energy blew the three of them back. 

"What was that?" Morah said with a groan.

Dorin pushed himself off the ground, and saw Anya looking back at him with her golden irises. Anya rushed towards him and knocked him over once more. 

"Alright, alright. I'm glad to see you too." Dorin smiled for the first time in days as Anya chirped. 

"Is that your ego?" Ara raised her eyebrows in confusion. "How did you defeat Lonn if it was here the whole time?"

"Complete luck." Dorin said.

Anya began to gag, and a small stone covered in saliva rolled out of her throat and into his left hand. It was his ego, and the 'ten' had returned. 

. . .

Dorin found himself floating in a starry sky. He tried to move, but he just ended up slowly spinning. He felt slightly nauseous, and it took all of his mental strength to stay calm and not puke. 

"You are not what I expected." A low voice vibrated Dorin's bones. 

Dorin hadn't seen anything yet, but he checked behind him just in case. 

"Who are you?"

"In a way, I am your grandfather."

Dorin watched as the stars shifted, seeming to slowly fly towards him. As it neared him, he saw how truly humongous this being was. The stars kept growing until he could only see supermassive star at a time. It flew past him, which stopped his spinning. "Where have you been all these years?"

"Dead." A booming laughter ensued, which made Dorin need to put his hands over his ears. 

'Another crazy person. Great.' Dorin didn't know if he was in danger or not, but there was nothing he could do either way. 

"I might've been your grandfather before, but now I'm you." The being seemed to understand that it was hurting him, and spoke quieter. "Once you restored your ego, we became connected. Even I don't know how long it has been since I have been truly whole."

"So does that mean I can summon you?" Dorin rubbed his hands together, thinking of his new life with the aptly named 'Humungo'.

"No, child. It means that you have the power to challenge fate." The voice dropped to a whisper. "Most beings are at its mercy, but your will is now its most powerful enemy. You have already rewritten its web, so it will come after you in ways you might never expect. You now have ten chances to survive against it, unless you are able to find me again."

. . .

Dorin awoke to find himself under Anya, who had more than likely shielded him with her body as he went unconscious. His eyes struggled to adjust to the dark, but he could see that Ara and Morah were both awake as they were staring at him.

"Welcome back." Morah said, still lying on the ground. "By morning, we'll be back in Tur."