The water body which was once said to contain cure for diseases now laid barren. Just a shell of its prehistoric glory. There was a shallow crater serving as a reminder of what had once been, with the receded water eroding the rocks within them, resulting in an uneven terrain of hills and valleys. The land itself had fractures all over owing to the aridness. The whole place looked like it would collapse under its own weight, but somehow remained intact despite it all.

Three prominent triangular structures commanded the attention of the party. They stood high amongst the inconsistent peaks and signified grandeur lost to time. The carved out circular passage way into these structures were guarded by people who looked lost in this land of the miners, but armed with crystal infused weaponry.

Max sighed in frustration. "It's funny to me that the main town is more interested in guarding this good for nothing excuse of a place. Our hospitals requirements need to be stated a month beforehand and takes a week later than promised. Priorities, I guess."

Amy echoed this sentiment but did not want to start another argument with her hot-headed co-worker.

"This is so funny to me. To see them guard whatever this is, from us, preventing access to resources that is ours. Even you can't deny how absurd this is," frustration mounted as Max complained to Amy.

The village did not have the technology to actually extract and transport the crystals. Also, it needed to be cut in a certain way to achieve maximum efficiency, as people found out after years of use. So, the site was handed over to the town in exchange for an agreeable but slightly disadvantageous share of crystals. Amy did not revoke the old agreements which was a point of contention to her post with the locals.

Aurelia followed the arguing duo, not so behind them. Maybe they lacked the perspective that she had, or it could be that they weren't capable of it, but between the near silent musings within herself, she felt nervous excitement build in her. The place had a magical signature that she could not mistake. This could have been the very site where her fabled ancestor made the last stand against the evil that engulfed the realms. Where her province and her Kingdom carved an identity as a formidable force amidst the others who practiced magic.

Fallout of this great war was a new knowledge to her, but she knew it had wide ramifications. She had known there was a bloody retaliation and a rebellion her father had thwarted, and she owed her position to those events; fair or not. It had become so severe at one point, the targeted killing of magical users forced the best magician in each province come together and cast a shield so strong, their realms were forever separated. It brought peace even if in isolation.

"What's the matter Aurelia?" Melody asked, only audible to Aurelia. She had seen the princess lost in thought.

"I don't think they know, but this place is connected to him. I can feel it," Aurelia responded.

Melody nudged Lumien, who was taking in the sights around him and hence unresponsive, only to be disturbed by a sudden blaring cacophony.

"I thought you were sleepwalking," Melody smirked.

"Not with your nightmarish presence," Lumien retorted trying to hold back his irritation. "This is not playtime, you know that? When will you learn to be serious?"

"Ogling at rocks wasn't my idea of seriousness. Guess you learn a new thing every day," Melody taunted in mock respect. "Listen, Aurelia said something nightmarish is up ahead. Trust me, I don't want to talk to you unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Were you guys saying something? I'm hearing this low buzz around us." Kelvin addressed Aurelia.

Aurelia stared back at Kelvin without knowing what to say. She composed herself after a split second before reassuring Kelvin that he was just hearing things and everything were normal.

Melody and Lumien continued as if nothing happened and tried not to appear shaken. There was no way they could be heard. Aurelia had gone completely silent, keeping her thought to herself.

"Kelvin, please give them some time. This can be a lot to take in for first time visitors." Amy opined, dodging Max's attempts to engage her in his rhetoric.

"Amy, you should have seen them appearing out of thin in our room. That was a jump scare. We took it relatively quicker, right?" Max gestured to Kelvin.

"I still don't believe half of what I saw with my eyes today." Kelvin conceded.

"This place is giving me the creeps, just letting you know I came with you just because you were so intent on going with them. I don't know." Max raised his apprehension.

"We appreciate it," Amy wasn't too ecstatic in her delivery.

Lee, who had decided on his own to follow along despite everyone trying to distract him with cat stuff, kept himself very close to Kelvin. He looked like he missed meals for weeks even if technically he was full, threatening to lunge with slightest provocation. Kelvin had apologised multiple times on behalf of the feline by then.

The pyramids stood at a considerable rise and hence a stairway was erected in front. The steps were irregularly structured, some narrow and steep. There was no equivalent of a handrail and sand underneath made it slippery, which made Max even more nervous as he had a fear of heights. But seeing Kelvin ascend the stairs without much problem, he kept his concerns to himself.

"Are you okay?" Aurelia was concerned as she saw Max was having obvious trouble in scaling it.

"What? Of course, I am." Max laughed. "Do you think I am a kid? This is nothing for me."

"I can make you fly to the top if you want," Aurelia offered.

"The guards are on us," Lumien alerted melody using her magic bubble that enveloped the three.

"This is going to be a hassle," Aurelia observed the drones with cameras hovering over them. She didn't even wait for Max's reply to her offer. She could not do it and draw attention this early. Once they were on top, they had to be quick. Besides that, they could feel their powers being drained ever so slightly just being in the premises. Good thing that they had non magical backup.

"Flying surveillance is a new development. It was not around earlier. We need to do something about it. We got you here, it's up to you now," Amy was still not trustful of Aurelia.

As they were in level with the guards; Max was relieved that the torture was over. He was feeling light giddiness but he knew better to not let anybody know. It was not the time. Nobody had asked him to accompany them.

They tried to reason with the guards to get all of them entry. But the guards were reluctant to give anybody but Amy the pass.

Melody raised her palms placing it on either side of her head, and focused on the guards. It took some time to get the intended effect. But it was worth every bit of jubilation that she experienced after that.

The guards remained stun locked in their place, with the head officer walking up to them, cross verifying the identification documents produced by Amy, which she was very nervous in handing it over. It was forgery and that could cost her dearly. However, it felt to Amy that the day was lucky for her as everybody were cleared. Amy was further puzzled as Melody walked past her, winking.

Aurelia got the cue that the hypnotized guards were no longer a threat, summoning whirlwinds of leaves, entrapping the drones in their vortex, not relenting until they were shattered.

One extra hypnotized guard had already done his duty very diligently by cutting off the feed to the control station. The barely hypnotized guards however were not so lucky as Lumien made quick work of them, non-lethally of course.

The victorious group had gained access to the central pyramid, with the cat still extremely unhappy.

***

A long narrow passageway extended in front, with stone walls on either side. Darkness filled the linear path, except for the faint golden glow that emanated towards the end in concentric circles. It was also completely silent, with only the foot steps and loud breaths being audible.

Aurelia was sure that the artefact that they were looking for was here. Feeling the polish and texture of the walls, she deduced that this probably was not a natural occurrence. The villages must have carved it after the fact, to gain access to their current energy source after somebody realized that this can be tapped into. This also meant they could legitimately be unaware about the origins nor the significance of the dubiously marvelous magical memento that stood before her.

Though Lumien's sword came in handy as a source of light, everyone was watchful of suspicious movements within the premises. An ominous tension pervaded the space, compounding the general feeling of unease.

Lee had enough of the eerie atmosphere, letting out a prolonged meow which sounded like a call for help. The sound reverberated over and over, further scaring him. Amy tried to lift Lee but he wouldn't let her. They were back to square one all over again. The high-pitched compliments did not yield results. She did not want to leave the magic users alone with the artifact, so she and her guards had to stay back.

"He doesn't like it here. Maybe someone needs to stay outside with Lee." Amy declared. Max wanted to grab the opportunity then and there, but waited for Kelvin.

You have come to the right place

The intensifying one-sided headache sent out a shooting pain from which Kelvin reeled, using his arms to cover his ears and to drive out this whispery voice away at any cost. The darkness already made him susceptible to palpitations and he had started to sweat profusely.

"What's wrong?" Aurelia rushed to aid.

An emaciated middle-aged man, battle worn and defeated was crawling on the ground, trying to hold on to anything. The man knew no matter how hard he tried, there was no escape. This was his prison until the end of time. This was worse than defeat or death. The power that once surged within him, now were feeble enough to just exist. This was not how everything was supposed to end. The humiliation he felt for having to spend an eternity in a magic depleted realm was punishing. He wanted a chance to prove them all wrong. He screamed, consumed by the desire of revenge as the space he was sealed in prodded his magic in endless torture.

"Make it stop," Kelvin called out feebly to a gravely concerned Olivia. But she could only watch helpless as her powers did not have any effect. Kelvin was appearing more and more spaced out.

Lee, who was trying to do his part as he always did, also backed away after letting out a short squeal. He approached Aurelia which slow and uneasy steps and tugged at her. She looked at him with tears in her eyes as she knelt down to his level, proceeding to stroke his head.

Visible dark magic emanated from Kelvin consuming him in a blinding loop of rage and pain.

Kelvin saw scenes of atrocities from before his time. Forceful annexation of territories, the battles for greed. Discrimination leading to mistreatment. Display of absolute power and the tyranny of it. Suppression of dissent and the torture that followed. Magic. It was at the root of it all.

"I can't... I can't take this," Kelvin pleaded, the aura around him growing thicker.

Set me free

Kelvin began to move towards the artefact as if he was taking orders from someone.

He could see his father, trying to save his life as his town was flooded. He saw the face of the hooded man from his nightmare. The murderer of his father. He saw that dreadful monster speak to a group of people. These traitors had watched the townsfolk scrambling to make a semblance of what was inflicted on them. Watched by as the people began to comprehend their losses. His father's informants. Kelvin watched them cross the portal to a magical province with the treacherous swine borderline worshipping the now reluctant murderer.

Kelvin wanted them all to die miserable deaths. This was unfair.

I will make it right

Kelvin began to move with purpose without resisting the pull which was taking so much out of him. This was easier this way.

Melody and Aurelia tried to divert Kelvin by impairing his visibility with leaf storm while Melody let out sound bursts targeted at Kelvin. Lumien dived forward hoping that there was still chance that his sword of light could bring back some sense into the tortured boy.

Kelvin shrugged off the attacks not even trying to offer any opposition. He took Lumien head on with dark magic protruding like tendrils all around him, like extra appendages engaging in combat while threatening to drag everybody down with him. The malicious arms grabbed Lumien by his neck, tightening around him. After repeated stabs at it with his sword, he managed to wriggle free of it. Kelvin let out a yelp of pain, throwing Lumien into the walls.

Aurelia bore the brunt of the next barrage of attacks. Her passive attacks that immobilized and sedated did not land a hit as dark magic acted as an offensive shield blocking out attacks. Kelvin had his eyes shut and his movements seemed mechanical, with the crystals being the singular focus.

They were starting to react to his presence, taking on a stronger glow as Aurelia felt her powers getting drained. The crystals redirected it to Kelvin as he let out a growl of anger. He seemed to be getting stronger.

Melody shielded Amy and Max from incoming attacks as the dark magic manifested without control lashing out at all directions. She volunteered to escort Lee and the others towards safety before heading back in again.

Aurelia created wines that stood up from the ground as defense against the creepy appendages all the while directing an energy blast straight at Kelvin. The impact toppled him as he was thrown back a few steps.

"Don't make me do this," Aurelia was fully determined to stop him.

She had accomplished what she had set out to. The crystals used dark energy to work. Observed other forms of energy and turned it back to darkness. Kelvin was the nearest source. The device predated Kelvin by a long shot. The crystals had been in use for a long time. This could only mean one thing. War was inevitable and she was woefully unprepared.

Kelvin sneered at her.

Look who it is

When Kelvin looked at her, she was not the understanding and level headed person that he had seen her to be. He let out a laugh which progressively got more sinister and maniacal. There was no mistaking the resemblance. To that monster.

"The audacity that you have... " Kelvin screamed with clenched teeth, eyeing Aurelia with absolute disdain.

Aurelia was bracing for impact. She did not know what triggered him, but now she was sure that Kelvin would willfully harm her and he had powers at his disposal and in a terrain advantage.

"Bring it on," Kelvin cracked his fingers and displayed apathy.

Attacks collided soon after with Aurelia barely managing to come out on top. The impact shook the structure to its core.