Sai knew they were getting close to the end of the Vale when the wreckage of Purrisian farmsteads that had fallen from above began to litter the canyon floor. "This is the southern arm of the canyon," he told Cuatete. "Just a bit farther now."

  "Chirp!" said Cuatete.

  But Sai wasn't listening. He looked off to the west, where a familiar rise jutted up from the canyon floor. Starlight streamed down from above to illuminate a patch of crushed grass. "That's where I fell," he whispered. "Where I jumped."

  "Grrr…" said Cuatete.

  Sai set his jaw and turned away. South of them, farther along the canyon, the ground began to descend farther yet. Down the hill, Sai could see where the ruined farmhouses ended and the scattered columns of a shrine to Syn began. There, at the center of that stone forest of capless pillars, was a gap in the ground. Though Sai could not see into the hole, he knew the stars sparkled within, just as they did within the Shadowed Altar in Gugalan's wheelhouse.

  Sai gripped his weapon. First Kunago misled him about the difficulty of a task. Now the Eldritch One had failed to mention that the path through Slaughter Canyon led directly through the very seat of Syn's power. Sai shook his head. It didn't matter. There was only one way out, and nothing was going to stop him. Not even death.

  The shadows clawed their way up from the altar as Sai and Cuatete approached. By the time they made it to the center of the columns, the Avatar of Shadow stood waiting for them. Two of its insectile arms already cradled the guttering candle. Its eye was absent. "And here you are at last," said Syn's voice, coming from everywhere amongst the columns.

  "You," Sai growled.

  The Avatar stepped off the altar. "Did you think I didn't know about your little plan?" Syn asked. "Did you really think to sneak your way out?"

  Sai sighed and glared at the ground. But he soon looked up. "No," he said. "I always knew it was coming to this."

  "And come to it you have," said the shadows. "You can't seriously expect to defeat me."

  "Defeat you?" Sai asked. He laughed. "You're the Eternal Nightmare, god of destruction." He gripped his tepoztopilli. "But all I have to do is drive you back long enough to get past. That I can do."

  "SKREEEE!" screeched Cuatete.

  A cacophony of laughter echoed through the canyon, and the giant red eye opened within the Avatar's head. "Come then, little orc," Syn bellowed. A dozen crimson tendrils erupted from its back, each reaching skyward to pluck its weapon from the Void. "Test your resolve against the full fury of the Eternal Nightmare!"

  The assault followed immediately, but Sai was ready. The arms slammed down where he and Cuatete had been standing, but they had both already darted behind the columns. So the fight went. Sai and Cuatete moved in unison to flank the Avatar, the raptor darting in to bite through limbs, the orc stabbing at the body whenever he could get close enough. Again and again the shadowy arms lashed out, an angry crimson glow seeming to grow brighter and brighter within them. The Avatar toppled columns, stabbed air, lanced out with darkness itself. And through it all, the mad laughter rolled around them.

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  Soon, Sai saw his opening. He'd managed to get around to the back of the Avatar. The way out was open. "Now, Cuatete!" he shouted, and the raptor sprinted towards the Avatar to occupy it long enough for Sai to get away.

  But Syn had other plans. "Know your master, beast!" the shadows shouted, and the laughter died away in an instant.

  Sai staggered as the psychic shackles binding him to Cuatete vanished, severed by something dark and immense. He glanced back towards the altar. His former raptor stared back at him, licking her jaws. The Avatar stood beside her, its limbs still. "Cuatete?" Sai asked.

  "SKREEEE!" screeched the raptor, and she charged at him.

  Sai tried to flee, but he could not hope to outpace the fastest of all the wyrmkin. The raptor was upon him before he could even clear the columns. She bit into his ankle and dragged him to the ground. "Cuatete, no!" Sai shouted, sending the psychic shackles back out into her mind, but they slid off. Only shadows remained. Her claws hooked through his armor and into his stomach, and he cried out only long enough for her to clamp her jaws around his throat.

  The Avatar of Shadow sauntered to his side to watch Sai get eaten by his own raptor. At the end, just before his vision faded, he saw the Avatar bring about one of its shadowy limbs and snuff out the candle it was holding.

  Sai gasped and started so violently that he knocked himself out of bed and fell to the floor. His heart pounded in his ears, racing from a nightmare he could not remember. He pushed himself to his knees and looked around in panic.

  "Oh, I do so enjoy killing you," said a shadowy voice around him.

  Sai blinked, and what had just happened began to come back to him as though through a dream. He growled. "I will defeat you, beast," he said.

  "I certainly hope you keep trying," Syn replied. Sai punched the floor and pushed himself to his feet. "How was death, by the way?" Syn asked. "Everything you dreamed of?" Sai sighed and glared at the ceiling. Syn chuckled. "Suit yourself."

  Cuatete was waiting for him below. She hopped to his side. "Skree?" she asked.

  "Hey, Cuatete," said Sai. He scratched her head, and she leaned into his hand. Was she apologizing? Did she even remember? Sai's hand trembled. "Sorry, girl," he told her. "You're going to have to stay here for now. I'm going to go it alone for a bit."

  Cuatete pulled back and glared up at him. "Grrr…" she said.

  "I know, I know," Sai said. He swallowed. His mouth felt very dry, and his voice shook. "I'm sure I'll be back." He could feel her watch him as he headed down the stairs. She did not try to follow.

  He was still in something of a daze when he walked into Gugalan's wheelhouse. "Thanks for visiting me," said the minotaur.

  "You're welcome," Sai said by habit. For some reason, the ritual did not calm him. "Do you have time to talk?" he asked, staring at the floor.

  "I have all the time in Serinor," Gugalan said, but his voice sounded tight. The minotaur knew something was wrong. "What do you want to talk about?"

  Sai opened his mouth, but no words came. He sighed. "I don't know," he said.

  "Do you want to talk about your fight against our Master?" Gugalan asked.

  Sai's downward gaze darted up to meet the minotaur's eyes. Gugalan looked sad too. His ears drooped, and the perpetual scowl of his bovine brow had softened. "You…" he started. But then he sighed and dropped his face again. "I'm never getting out of here," he said. "I'm not strong enough to defeat Syn on my own, but every ally I'd be able to find in this place belongs to the Nightmare. The beast calls, and they run right to its side." He wiped his eyes. He would not cry. "I can't do this alone, but there is no help for me here."

  "Have you forgotten already, Harbinger?" Gugalan asked. His voice was uncharacteristically soft.

  Sai sniffed and looked up at him. "Forgotten what?" he asked.

  To Sai's surprise, the minotaur actually smiled. "You speak with our Master's voice," he said. "Call them back."

  Sai blinked. "I…" he said, then stopped. He did speak with Syn's voice. Syn hadn't taken it from him. But still. "It can't be that simple," he told Gugalan.

  The minotaur shrugged. "If I am wrong, come tell me the next time you die," he said.

  "If that works…" Sai said. He smiled back up at Gugalan. "Maybe I can get out of here."

  Gugalan's smile faded, and the minotaur turned to stare at the gears beside him. "You will never be free," he said. "But your servants will always hear you."

  "Thanks, Gugalan," Sai said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to collect my raptor." Gugalan only snorted as Sai hurried from the room.