Chapter 13

"Does that make sense?" Kelso tilted her head as she looked at the glowing symbol of the sword. She wasn't sure if she'd missed something important. SHe thought that it was a sacrifice of some sort like the needle. There had been no real sacrifice made.

"As I said."Eden started shakily. "It's like a video game. Something happens to trigger the result. The sword, judging from the riddle, I think it means bravery." she still had yet to let go of her cousin. She doubted that she'd let Devin leave her side anytime soon.

"But it said of honor and pride?" Acheron didn't quite understand the connection between what had happened and the riddle. He was happy that the symbol activated, even if he didn't understand how. It would help them figure out how to activate the rest of them, but to him it seemed a little random.

"Well honour is high respect." Landso informed them whilst his hand rubbed his temple. "Pride is pleasure from one's achievements. I am assuming the act of bravery triggered that emotion in the twins and therefore the symbol was activated. Whilst still holding respect for devin, hence the action of saving."

Landso's explanation was welcome for those who didn't quite understand, several noises of realization erupted from the group. It was one of those moments where Acheron and Laylian were rather thankful for their brother's intelligence and strive for the position of advisor. It meant that he could explain things rather well.

"That makes a lot more sense now." Devin said somewhat bitterly as she tried her best to not look at the waterfall. "Though...i'm not quite sure what happened. I don't think I tripped on anything." Her confusion was clear. She didn't actually know what happened and it scared her a little bit. The place felt comforting at first but now it seemed to have lost that aura for her. It was a dangerous place, it was beautiful but it was dangerous.

"There could be a few explanations. Some of them are more pleasant than others." Addamak said with a slightly bitter tone. He would not put it past Neireith to have done something to push the poor human girl over the edge, if only to spark some movement or haste front eh group. "My main theory is that it was a sign we should hurry with this. I do not know what we must do in order to activate the others. But let us hope that it is not another life or death situation."

His tone was good-natured but there was a hint of warning in it. He wanted them to know that there was danger here. He wanted to make sure the humans knew what they were getting into by continuing. He knew that the situation was dark and much more dangerous then what they could have originally thought. It was already a game of life or death, but they were acting more as spectators at this point.

"This isn't going to be easy is it?" Tyrell ran a hand down his face, He didn't need an answer to the question. If it was actions that Neireith wanted or needed then he was sure that they'd be able to do so. But were they good enough? Why would saving someone get them closer to the answer? All he did was care for his friend's safety. That shouldn't be seen as something which holds honour or pride. It was simply an action out of pure fear that his friend would fall and perish.

"Ty, if it were easy then we would have done it weeks ago." Kelso sighed as she rubbed her eye with her free hand, as though seeing the place clearer would help her realize something which she hadn't before. The entire group had a collective silent groan. There was nothing they could do at the moment other than try and trigger the symbols.

"So should we just...leave it?" Acheron looked back at the symbols and then to the riddles. "If it's our actions which trigger this thing then...what's the point in staying here?" He had a good point. What was the point in hanging around if nothing was going to change? They had all of the information which they needed now. The twins' actions will trigger the symbols and then everything will be alright.

"i feel like we're missing something." Vansilla's voice was rather sharp through the silence. She was careful with each step that she took, she didn't want anything to be disturbed. "This place is alive , we know that. We know that the twins are the gatekeepers...somehow. This...it feels rather simple."

"Ah but that is the beauty of it my dear." Addamak said softly yet excitedly. "There is beauty in the simple and mundane." His voice became quieter. "And that makes it slightly easier for us." It didn't do much to ease Vansilla's feeling of unease. She was still looking over her shoulder and feeling like she was being watched. She didn't like the feeling at all. She supposed that it was because she knew the place was alive, she felt like it was watching her.

"Well the instructions may be simple but the job is rather difficult." Tyrell muttered as he also looked towards the riddle wall. "We just have to act, it shouldn't be too hard. if things are meant to happen then we can wait for it...as long as it doesn't take too long." It felt like they were in a race now. They were against Nero. They didn't quite understand what Nero was aiming to do other than recruit dark fae in order to increase tier power, They didn't understand what Nero was trying to achieve. They just had to hope that whatever that was, it took Nero longer then it does for the twins to complete those riddles.

"But it could be anything! Any action, any word, any sacrifice. Devin was now feeling extremely passionate, her grandmother was in danger and she had almost died by falling off a waterfall into a pool of acidic liquid. She was involved now and she would see this thing done. "How do we know what's a sacrifice and what needs action? Or emotion?" Devin's questions were rhetorical, she didn't expect an answer but Landso was able to give her one.

"The book." Those two words caused everyone to stop what they were doing and stare at him in confusion. "What? It said in the riddle-" he pointed to where the words were. "The book holds the truth."