[Edanian Journey] Aal

Chapter 5: The Path to Sacrifice

Where Bassam had been looking, a verse from the scriptures had been inscribed: the prayers of the faithful would illuminate the desert night. When he knelt to pray, the brazier before him began to burn.

Kuntur, Urku, and Zaidan each took another brazier and offered their prayers. Wariyana and I watched over all four. As the flames gathered, fire began to stir in the central brazier as well.

Then black flames rose from the braziers. Doubt and despair had taken form as <b>corruption</b>. The flames erupted, and enemies poured through the doors beyond. Wariyana and I defended the central brazier, cleansing the corruption from the others and fending off those drawn to the flame. We kept moving, as the commandment of sincerity demanded.

Just as the central flame was nearly complete, corruption seeped into Bassam's brazier once more. Unable to call out to us, he wrapped the brazier in a sandstorm and took the corrupted flames upon himself.

The blast Bassam endured did not spread to the others. At last, the central brazier blazed to life and the blocked path opened. We were about to leave Bassam, now lifeless where he had stood, and move on when his prayer ceased and the flame began to fade with it.

As the path started to close again, Urku stepped forward.

"...I will stay behind."

When he knelt at the center and began to pray, the flame returned. He asked us to reach Aal and find out what his brothers had died for. Kuntur's doubts and Zaidan's faith still stood at odds.

An overwhelming heat radiated from the sanctuary ahead. Beneath the commandment of <b>humility</b>, our god was now close.