Because… My reply faded. In all honesty, I couldn't actually think of a reason why the gates to heaven and hell wouldn't be together. I guess I'd just imagined the two would always be separate. Instead I asked, Who are you?
Who am I? He seemed to ponder the question for a second, then said, I am of this place. I am all that remains of what we once were.
You're a priest? The small slug mass had completed its circle and was coming at me again. They were persistent bastards, that was for sure. A Dušan appeared – Azriel's, not mine – and grabbed it with a snap of its teeth, then flung it away. Then it whirled around me, buffeting me forward with the force of its wings. It was almost as if it were telling me to hurry, that they couldn't contain the slug masses for much longer.
But given what Azriel had said, why wasn't the priest doing something about them? If anything was an intruder, it was these fucking things.
Once, yes, the voice replied. I remain to protect.
The structure up ahead drew closer, clearer. It consisted of two high, soaring but simple arches that stood side by side, neither one particularly ornate. At least they didn't appear so from this far away.
Well, you're not doing a particularly good job of it, are you?
Up until that point, I'd felt no real malevolence from the remnant that was the priest, but the moment the words were out of my mouth, that changed. The air grew dark and thunderous, and it suddenly seemed like I was teetering on the precipice of an endless pit. And that the priest stood behind me, ready to push.
Amaya's hissing ran through the far reaches of my thoughts, but her noise was muted, wary. It was as if she sensed the being who confronted us was not something she should ever attack or have any hope of beating.
You have no justification —
I haven't? I cut in. Perhaps stupidly, given Azriel's earlier warning about the remnants being able to cause great harm if they decide you're an intruder. Then why is hell's first portal open? And why the hell have you allowed a sorcerer bearing the second portal key to get so close to opening it?
There is no one in this place but you and me and the reaper who battles the twisted Dušan within private temple quarters.
No one here? Incredulity filled my mental tones. What the fuck do you call the shadow who runs ahead of us? And what do you call the things that chase me?
The heavy sensation of danger briefly lifted, and an odd sense of bafflement ran across the ether surrounding us. The Dušan battle something, but I cannot sense what.
I frowned. How was that even possible? He might be a remnant, but he was still of this place, these temples. The sorcerer was not, so how could she disguise not only her presence, but that of her creatures?