Nene woke up to the voices of Bugra and Adanara, who were arguing loudly. She stood up and looked for Nila at her side. They hadn't slept together that night. Nila had insisted, fearing that her movement could have messed up the bandages, undermining the effectiveness of the ointment and thus slowing down Nene’s healing. She looked at her hands: the bandage had held up. Her sentimental side thought it wasn't worth it. The discussion, however, became heated, and completely awoke her from her torpor.

  ?You worry too much, I tell you!?, Adanara snapped.

  ?I have to make sure you get out of this unharmed. It would be shameful for me and all the Tega Urok if something happened to you?

  Nene stood up still dazed. Compared to the previous day, however, she felt in excellent shape. The miracles a good night's rest could make. She lolled towards the two quarrelling. The other hunters were already active and checking their tools and weapons. Kora hadn't moved from her little spot on the rocks. She was awake, wrapped in her fur cloak, watching from afar. Nila was sleeping soundly, despite the noise, still sprawled on the floor in her travel blanket.

  ?Why are you guys so noisy??, she grumbled.

  ?This... blockhead doesn't want me to come to the witch's lair!?

  She walked towards them. She rubbed her eyes and began to frame the altercation: Bugra was kind of reverent towards Adanara, who was not the type to appreciate such attention, no matter how well-meaning. A gust of cool wind woke her completely. She yawned.

  ?Adanara must help me heal the witch?, she observed.

  ?Tuatha says that it’s not necessary, that only you, Inquisitor, must absolutely be there?

  She glanced at Kora. Her expression didn’t change. The shaman knew in detail the practice conceived by Eidelhan, as the sisters themselves had illustrated it in the past. It wasn't the first time they had faced that dilemma.

  ?Isn't that so? Tell me, please?, Bugra asked.

  ?Well, that's true?, Adanara admitted. ?But it doesn't matter. I'm coming too?

  The witch's stubbornness was likely a consequence of recent events and her subsequent clash with Kora. Maybe she thought she was redeeming herself by acting bold, yet that wasn't what they needed.

  ?You'll all be in danger down there?, she explained. ?Only I am protected by the Archangel, and that might not even be enough. The Evil One gives no quarter?

  ?This is exactly why I want to go and scout ahead! Me and my men. Right, guys??

  One of the hunters responded by nodding. The other, the blond one, after finishing closing his bag, put it on his shoulder and approached hesitantly.

  ?Chief, actually I…?

  ?Fihir?!?

  ?I'm sorry, chief. I... I can't do it?

  ?What?! We have come this far! Glory awaits us! We finally have the chance to free our people from this nightmare!?

  The man lowered his head. Bugra grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look him in the eyes.

  ?Speak. We are like brothers?

  ?I think of my son, chief?, he confessed. ?If I died here, he... would be alone?

  Bugra sighed and patted him on the shoulder. Adanara, rather than following the conversation, was watching Kora. Whatever was going through her head seemed to be very deep.

  ?A father's task is to take care of his children. Stay here. You will watch after old Simig?

  ?Yes, chief. Forgive me?

  After dismissing his companion, Bugra went back to Nene. He was frowning, certainly not very enthusiastic about not having the support of one of his own. Nene, however, agreed with his decision. His verdict was sound: a vulnerable individual would have been easy prey for the Evil One, especially in the place where it was at its peak power.

  ?Inquisitor, any suggestion??

  ?Brute force is of little use against the Evil One. Its speciality is deception and manipulation?

  ?But it will come in handy if we encounter more monsters like that!?

  Bugra pointed towards the shore, but the eye was no longer there. During the night it had dripped and disappeared into the ground. As a reminder of its existence, only a pool of mud remained that would soon dry out in the sun.

  Nene rummaged through her belongings. Repelling the Evil One was within her field of expertise, although she had very little practice. A naive idea gave her hope. She took out the silver cross and the two small wooden crosses that she had always carried with her since her training at the monastery.

  ?These may provide some degree of protection, but I don't have enough for everyone?

  Bugra held out a hand, expecting to receive one. She hesitated. She exchanged a look with Adanara and decided that she wanted to help her. She genuinely believed that having her by her side would prove useful, both because of her magic and because of her familiarity with the enemy.

  ?I am protected by the Archangel and Adanara knows the Evil One very well. I think the two of us could do without it. That said, I only have three crosses?

  ?I'm coming with you!? Kora shouted.

  ?Tuatha is strong, you are welcome to join. Beregard and I will be your escort, Inquisitor?

  ?No?, she objected. ?Nila will never agree to let me go without her once more?

  Bugra looked at her in dismay. His gaze fell right on Nila, who showed no signs of waking up in the slightest. Normally she was extremely reliable, but anyone who saw her in that state would never have entrusted her with such an important task.

  ?She doesn't know how to fight?, the man protested. ?She can stay here and take care of Simig?

  ?These are my conditions?, she replied.

  Bugra's height and bulk intimidated her to the point that her voice trembled. Trying to impose on him scared her to death. The idea that, instead of listening to her, he might have decided to try to take the crosses from her by force, scared her even more. She couldn't admit it out loud, but the real reason she wanted the sisters with her, no matter what, was because she didn't trust the Tega Urok enough to feel safe in their company when they would have faced the witch and the Evil One. Nila and Adanara would have resisted with all their might, before giving in to its flattery and turning against her. Furthermore, as much as Bugra scared her, it was easier to convince him than Nila.

  ?Then only one cross remains. Allow me to accompany you, Inquisitor. This is our battle, we Tega Urok must see it through!?

  ?You’re leaving me behind??, the other hunter protested.

  ?There will be glory for all of us, my friend. Worry not?

  The man snorted, unhappy with his chief’s decision. Nene offered Bugra one of the wooden crosses but withdrew it when he attempted to grab it.

  ?You will face your greatest weaknesses and have to resist them. One misstep and you could become a threat to everyone else?

  ?I'm aware of that?, the man nodded. ?I won't disappoint you. Besides, if Tuatha turns against us, you'll need someone who can try to match her! Haha!?

  Bugra's joke didn’t land well with Kora, who growled through clenched teeth. The hunter finally received the wooden cross. He carried the second one over to the shaman. As the two bickered over who was stronger, Adanara smiled at Nene.

  ?Thank you?, she said.

  ?I truly believe… I want you with me, that's it?

  ?I'm going to wake up my sister. You spared the nice cross for her, am I right??

  ?Yes, I, well...?, she stammered. ?What would you have done??

  ?I'm not complaining at all. You're... you're a good friend, Nene?

  Bugra assumed command of the expedition that was about to enter the witch's lair. It took him a while to convince old Simig to stay behind, even though he was still exhausted from the previous day's fight. He gathered the remaining supplies and shared them with his companions, to whom he entrusted the task of returning to the rest of the horde and leading them to the lake. Once everything was settled, he led the group to the shore, where he had spent the previous day looking for a usable path to the centre of the chasm. A series of sticks were stuck in the mud to mark the places where, through trial and error, he and the other hunters had found stony, walkable ground that would not collapse under their weight.

  The crossing was slow and tiring. Several times, despite the precautions, someone slipped or got trapped in mud up to their knees. The rocky spur that hid the dark ravine, which presumably led to the witch's hideout, was a few dozen metres away from the shore, but it took them more than an hour to reach it.

  Nene pulled herself up onto the rocks and grabbed Bugra's hand at the head of the column. They had finally reached the entrance to the cave. With every step her feeling of discomfort and disgust for everything profane had grown stronger and stronger. Before stopping to catch her breath, she turned to help Kora, fearing that she was in pain because of her leg. The shaman accepted her help but, contrary to her worries, climbed up with ease. Bugra almost had to lift first Nila, then Adanara, who dropped to the ground on the slimy rock.

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  ?We made it?, she gasped.

  ?Yes?, Bugra replied, as he caught his breath. ?Let's rest a bit. There could be dangers down there.?

  Nene looked at the crack. It was a fissure in the stone, about three metres long and two metres wide. From up close it became obvious that it wasn’t of natural origin. There were steps leading inside, dug into the stone itself and made smooth by time and water.

  ?It's here?

  ?Yesterday we didn't dare enter?, Bugra said. ?But today we have daylight on our side. And you, Inquisitor?

  ?A-are those steps??, Nila asked.

  ?We need a light source?, Kora interjected. ?We should have thought of that?

  ?I have?, Bugra replied. ?I just need a moment?

  He threw his heavy baggage from his shoulder to the ground. Tied to the bag were some rudimentary torches, a thick branch with a carved head, in which he had stuck brushwood soaked in pitch. Kora motioned for him to come closer. From the fur cape, which she no longer separated from, her hand emerged and rested directly on the pitch. It caught fire in an instant, which made her jump in fear.

  ?What?! What... what is it?!?

  ?It’s pitch, Tuatha. Never seen it before? It burns like wonder?

  ?I don't like it. This… black, smelly smoke?

  ?It's nothing more than resin?

  Kora growled at the flames as if to intimidate them. Bugra laughed and handed the torch to Nene.

  ?Inquisitor, are you ready??

  She grabbed the stick. It made sense for her to go ahead, as she should have been the first to notice any dangers. Her sensitivity made her the ideal explorer against the Evil One, but fear led her to hesitate, especially when she made the mistake of looking into the darkness of the ravine. She took a breath and nodded. Bugra followed her like a shadow as she approached the opening. She directed the flame towards the steps, hoping to see the end, but the light wasn't intense enough. After several dozen steps, complete darkness enveloped everything.

  ?I'm going in?, she said, unconvinced.

  She put one foot on the first step. It was very small and extremely viscous. Bugra helped her slip into the narrow crack. Out of fear of falling, after just one step, she sat down on the staircase and slipped deeper on her rear. The frame of the ravine seemed like a monstrous mouth closing on the light of day, as Bugra's face became less and less distinguishable in the shadows. She turned towards the damp abyss, barely illuminated by the flickering flame. Below her stretched a steep corridor carved into the stone, barely large enough for a person to pass through. She moved the torch around to get a better look. The corridor had extremely smooth walls, of artificial origin.

  ?Can we proceed??

  The hunter's voice boomed through the tunnel, confirming it was deeper than she had hoped. She leaned against a wall, stood up and went down a couple of steps.

  ?So far so good?

  ?Excellent. We’ll light the other torches and follow you?

  Nene waited a few seconds in solitude, in the shadows, and did not dare take a step forward. The air was perfectly still down there. It was a place none should have entered. The irrational part of her mind told her to run away. She had such a terrible feeling that she would have rather fought a damned, a threat she was familiar with. Nila slipped behind her, startling her. Following her, Kora, brandishing a second torch, waited for them to make room for her before she could enter.

  ?God?, Nila sighed, looking around. ?What is this place??

  ?I don't know...?

  Nene went down a bit then turned to make sure the others were with her. Kora was behind Nila, followed by Bugra, and finally, Adanara, who had been entrusted with their third and last torch. They descended a little more, enough for the entire column to enter that agonising corridor, but they still could not see the end of it.

  ?Do you all have your cross??, Nene asked.

  Her voice bounced off the walls several times until it distorted into an almost inhuman echo. The same happened with her companion’s answers, as well as with the shuffling of their footsteps.

  ?Let's move forward slowly?, Kora suggested. ?It's slippery?

  ?If I fall, I'm counting on you, Tuatha?, Bugra joked. ?Hold me or I might crush someone?

  Nila grabbed Nene's arm, lest she tumble down that endless gorge. She took one step forward, then a second. She moved very slowly, looking downwards. She relied on her hearing for confirmation that the others were behind her. She desperately needed it, so distressed she was by that place. They walked for several minutes without the corridor showing any signs of ending or changing inclination. They passed a point where they heard running water above their heads. The smoke from the resin-based torches was testing everyone's patience, especially Adanara’s, the last in line, who began coughing after a while. Fortunately, the steps gradually became more passable, less worn and slippery. Having reached a certain depth, they could walk normally. Finally, Nene saw what looked like the outline of a door. She stopped and stretched her arm forward: a stone arch overlooked the entrance to a dark room.

  ?What is it??, Nila asked.

  ?There’s a door ahead?

  ?Let's hurry?, Adanara's voice panted in the distance.

  ?Better get out of here as soon as possible?, Kora agreed. ?We might suffocate?

  Nene walked the last few metres carefully. She left Nila's grasp and rested her free hand on the vault of the arch. The torch illuminated some stone walls, a small cubic room. She walked in. Her boots made a sound she didn't expect. She recognized the sensation of walking on wooden beams. Moving the torch around her, she saw some dry stone walls. They were inside a building.

  After entering the room, Adanara sat on the floor to catch her breath, cared for by her sister. Bugra asked for her torch and, together with Nene and Kora, began to search the room. Not even their three flames combined were able to completely dispel the darkness of that place, as if it were solid and was closing in on them like the jaws of a beast.

  ?Do you see an exit??, the man asked.

  ?I see light?, Kora replied.

  She pointed to a spot on a wall. Nene strained her eyes but didn't notice anything. They were hurting and watery from the smoke. She coughed.

  ?Put out the fire?, the shaman said.

  ?We can't see anything down here!?, Bugra protested.

  ?Put it out. We will all die otherwise. I found a way out?

  The man grumbled but finally took his canteen and poured some water on his torch. He did the same with Kora's and finally Nene's.

  ?Hey, have you gone insane already??, Adanara asked.

  ?Nene? Nene??, Nila called in the darkness.

  ?Stand back?, Kora ordered.

  Enveloped in total darkness, guided only by touch and hearing, they obeyed Kora's request. Nene leaned against a wall and took a few uncertain steps backwards, away from her. After a few moments, her vision adjusted to the darkness and she saw it: a tiny light, a glimmer, a small beam slipping between the stones of the wall. She heard heavy footsteps, someone was moving. Kora took a breath. Then, a violent crash followed. The walls trembled, and the crack widened.

  ?What are you doing??, Bugra asked.

  Kora didn't answer. More footsteps followed, then a second crash. The crack widened enough to illuminate the shaman's silhouette. She was throwing herself against the wall using her shoulders, and somehow, with her unnatural strength, she was gradually breaking it down. Another hit made the stones crunch against each other. Kora groaned.

  ?Ah!?, she complained. ?I'm almost there, just give me a moment?

  ?I'll help you, Tuatha?, Bugra offered.

  The man faced the crack. Nene could make it out pretty well, even though they were still essentially in the dark. What disturbed her was not the incredible strength of her companions, but the light that came from outside. It reminded her of the setting sun, but they had descended too deep for it to be the case. How could sunlight reach there?

  Bugra kicked the wall hard. His boot dislodged the stones slightly. A cloud of rubble rose into the room. Letting out a groan, he gave a second kick, with much more force, and the part collapsed. Kora waved him aside. She took a running start and threw herself against the wall. The shaman disappeared in a flash of light. The noise of stones tumbling over each other was deafening and sunlight dazzled everyone. Thick dust rose. Nene covered her mouth and backed away again, afraid something would collapse on her.

  ?Is everyone okay??, Bugra asked. ?Tuatha? Kora??

  ?I'm fine?, she replied.

  Nene blinked repeatedly, trying to readjust to the light. The wall had collapsed, leaving enough of a gap to cross. Beneath the rubble, Kora lay on all fours, her back covered in boulders large enough to crush an ordinary person. Light flooded the bare room, a simple antechamber with a beamed floor and a smooth ceiling carved into the stone itself. Nila and Adanara were sitting on the ground at the entrance to the corridor, at the end of the very long staircase that led to that shelter sealed by a wall.

  ?What kind of place is this? Has the witch locked herself down here, perhaps??, the hunter asked.

  ?Maybe someone sealed her?, Nene surmised. ?Maybe the people from the church in the woods?

  Kora emerged from the rubble and stood up. She went back into the room to pick up her favourite fur cape from the floor and put it over her shoulder, then went out again.

  ?By the gods...?, Bugra exclaimed.

  The man's words attracted Nene's curiosity and anxieties. She followed him, moved closer to the path Kora had opened, peered out… and witnessed incredulously the most absurd sight she had ever seen.

  A dark canopy, typical of the night sky stretched in front of them. Unlike in the night sky, however, the sun was there, or perhaps an imitation of it. A massive cavern, a hundred metres high, and deeper than the eye could see, was illuminated by a sun-like globe that towered below the rocky vault. What at first appeared to be stars, upon closer observation turned out to be dripping rock formations, which reflected the light of the small luminous sun.

  On the right, they saw a grassy hill leading to a valley dotted with trees and sparse vegetation providing refuge for colourful birds. A small stream descended from the hillside, meandering to within a few metres of their position, then turning towards the valley and disappearing into the distance. An adult fawn stared at them alertly, while its cub was drinking unaware of the stream. They had entered an isolated world, illuminated by some bizarre sorcery, populated by animals and lustful vegetation, unlike the forest on the surface.

  Nene walked out of the room and looked over her shoulder. The room was nothing more than an antechamber, a wall that sealed the entrance to the cave, to prevent anyone from getting in or out. A sudden noise made her wince. She turned just in time to see the fawns fleeing into the distance. They ran into the valley without hesitation and disappeared behind the hill.

  ?What…?, she stammered. ?What is…?

  ?I’ve never seen anything like this?, Kora said dreamily. ?What magic can imitate the Flow to such an extent??

  ?You see it too, right??, Bugra asked in awe.

  Nila came up behind Nene and hugged her. Although a fairy-tale scenario loomed in front of them, a pleasant oasis of uncontaminated nature, the implications of that discovery were decidedly more sinister, especially considering that it was certain that the Evil One was involved in it.

  ?Are these the animals that lived on the surface??, Adanara said.

  ?I don't think so. How could someone bring them down here??

  ?And that??

  Nila pointed to the sun, or rather, the thing that looked like it. It emitted a very similar light, albeit whitish, which made the entire cavity feel melancholy. Without giving the others time to assimilate that absurd discovery, Kora set off.

  ?From the top of the hill we’ll have a better view?, she explained.

  They followed the shaman in silence. Something was unnerving about the beauty and serenity of that place. The meadows were teeming with grasshoppers and other insects, the scattered trees projected bizarre shadows, generated by that sun that wasn't such. Their trunks were mostly gnarled and very tall, devoid of branches except for the top, where all their foliage was concentrated as if they were desperately trying to extend upwards as much as possible. Nonetheless, they were small in stature and provided shelter for squirrels and sparrows, whose chirps overlapped with the sound of cicadas. Forgetting about the location and origin of that place, anyone would have thought it was beautiful, a wonderful corner of nature, an oasis of peace.

  Having reached the top of the small hill, their horizon expanded onto a wonderful valley with a soft profile, contained between the walls of the underground cave, hundreds, perhaps thousands of metres wide. Dark rock walls marked clear boundaries in the distance, within which flowering meadows, streams, stands of trees and shrubs, herds of goats and the occasional fawn existed placidly. The valley stretched as far as the eye could see towards the sun, then dropped suddenly into a precipice. That cave was large enough to house an entire habitat, and the warmth generated by the star was pleasant on the skin.

  Nene struggled against her sensations: a part of her felt extremely relaxed and wanted to stay in that wonderful place. At the same time, the Archangel's protection within her was kicking in stronger than ever, especially when she looked up at the sun. Kora suddenly darkened her field of vision, snapping her out of her thoughts. The shaman craned her neck as if trying to peer into the distance.

  ?Do you see anything, Tuatha??

  She squinted. Bugra walked next to her and did the same. Finally, he pointed to the distance, surprised.

  ?There's a house over there?