Ezra brushed the spiderwebs off his shoulder and peered into the darkness. He struggled to control his breathing. To regain a sense of composure. Six challenges of tortuous pain had passed. Only one remained, the hardest of all.

Okay, Ezra thought. What next, Father? I have the unblemished ring and the battle-tested sword. Reveal to me what the sacrificial heart is.

Usually speaking into his mind, his father’s voice was silent, letting Ezra ponder the answer to his own question. Just what is the sacrificial heart? How would he find it? How would he know it’s the right one?

Screams of anguish echoed off the hallways, and Ezra unsheathed his sword. The metallic slur reverberated in the dark hallway, and just beyond the darkness, another blade was drawn.

“You’re too late,” the voice of Nev’s former captain and chief musician. “I’ve stoned her heart. In a mere matter of minutes, she will freeze into meager stone. No flesh or blood left in her, never to be returned.” Lucius, the Hermit, emerged out of the darkness, his beady eyes flaming with hatred. His dark, glittering blade held aloft in front of him.

Ezra set his jaw, biting back the temptation to spew insults. “Step aside, Lucius, or face the consequences.”

“On what authority?” Lucius sneers. “You are a Wanderer now, aren’t you? You forfeited all your princely benefits.”

“On the authority of my father, your king,” Ezra’s eyes blazed, “step aside.”

For a moment, Lucius’s resolves wavered. Legally, Ezra had the advantage, and Ezra knew it. But he also knew Lucius would disregard the king’s authority anyway.

“Not on my life!” Lucius said. “That wretch will die a slow, miserable, agonizing death, and with her out of the way, I’ll kill you and claim the throne. It’s the Law. The kingdom needs an heir.”

“What do you know about the Laws, Hermit?” Ezra said. “You poison the Wanderers with your lies so they don’t even know the true Laws. The king never has to relinquish his throne, and the king doesn’t need an heir.”

Lucius swung his sword towards Ezra’s throat. Ezra flicked his blade up and deftly deflected it away. Muttering curses, Lucius sliced again, but Ezra neatly parried the blow. Furious now, Lucius unleashed a volley of blows and cuts, forcing Ezra to move. Ezra never moved. But he successfully blocked each one.

Lucius wiped the sweat off his brow, cursing up a storm. “Why won’t you fight back, huh? Too cowardly to face me head on?”

Ezra remained silent, infuriating the Hermit.

“You know, you’ll never save her. That precious bride of yours is undeserving of your love and incapable of reciprocating it. You have lost!! That heart of yours has failed you.” He raised his sword, going on the defensive. “Now, fight me like a man.”

Ezra smiled. “I trained you. You can never beat me no matter how hard you try. And I didn’t teach you everything.”

Before Lucius could respond, he pounded the pommel of his sword on the ground, whispering some words. A blue wave of light emanated around him, piercing the darkness and casting Lucius out of the core. Lucius screamed in rage as the wave carried him to the surface.

Not hesitating a second, Ezra darted forward, venturing into the icy darkness, ever searching for Kayla. Wisps of palpable darkness encircled his fingers and ankles, trying futilely to hold him back. But Ezra leaned into the strength and authority of his father’s commands. His unblemished ring shone radiantly, riddling the darkness like bullets.

The light illuminated a shuddering figure, huddled on the cold stone floor. Just behind her lay a locked wooden door. Brilliant white light pierced around the frames. The Jewel of Laridal was just within reach.

Ezra knelt down at Kayla’s side. He gently touched her quaking shoulder. “Kayla.”

Kayla’s eyes flew open and locked onto his. He knew instantly she knew it was him. Shame filled her irises as she tried to worm away from him. Her lower half was already stone. It was only a matter of seconds before she died completely. His father spoke in his mind. Ezra grimaced, knowing exactly what he had to do.

“What are you doing here, Salus?” Kayla asked, fear quivering in her voice.

Ezra spoke not a word. He grasped her hand and held it up, examining her ring finger. Kayla’s eyes filled with tears as Ezra’s perfect ring touched hers. Complete light colliding with complete darkness. A flash of bright light surrounded them, forming a barrier against all else. Ezra felt all Kayla’s crimes, all her peoples crimes, merged onto his ring. All the agonizing suffering and pain she had to bear and then some.. His shining radiance transferred onto hers.

Kayla gasped as the shock hit her, but the transfer was finished. Before Kayla could speak a word, all the stone swallowing her up melted off. Ezra felt his whole body hardening as death overtook him. He could not see how he was retrieving the Jewel of Laridal now. But the king had told him to do so, and he trusted his father. The stone devoured him whole, and he lost all life.