The passageways continued to broaden and lighten as we drew closer to the Great Hall. Another door whisked open at the Shadow Rider's command. My brow furrowed in surprise.

The main foyer? What?

"We're back at the start?" I asked, incredulous. "Why did we--"

"Not quite," Lord Darius replied. "Security measures conceal the main throne room until you pass the horrors of the Maze of Horrors. Most don't make it."

Bile rose in my throat. "Of all the sick, twisted--"

"You passed through a complex series of psychological barriers to entry," he replied. "Most fail."

I only made it because he carried me. How humiliating! 

If it weren't for him, I'd still be trapped.

Lord Darius' voice softened. "Don't be hard on yourself, Helena. Even the most powerful wizards and sorcerers are often driven mad by the torture chambers. You're still a child."

"I'm not a child!"

"We managed to pass the test. That's all that matters."

Anger rose inside me like the molten lava within a fire drake. Taking a deep breath, I squeezed my eyes shut and willed myself to stay civil.

"I failed, Lord Darius," I said. "How will I stand before Lord Hesse?"

"You didn't fail. You trusted me, and I shielded you from the worst effects." He raised his palm towards me when I tried to question him further. "Save your strength."

"But--"

"Enough!" he said as he grabbed my chin. "You are about to face the most dangerous man on Paxus. Focus. Gather your strength. Whatever you do, don't fight back. Just block him."

With all my might, I tried to push Lord Darius away from me and regain my personal space. But he wouldn't budge.

"How can I defend myself against such a monster?"

"Your mother's shield will protect you from magic and weapons." Lord Darius released my chin with a sigh. "Lord Hesse doesn't engage in hand-to-hand combat. He thinks it's beneath him."

Swallowing a lump in my throat, I nodded. "Is there a limit to what the shield can withstand?"

"There's no way to know for sure." Lord Darius took my hand and nudged me closer until he could whisper in my ear. "I can help you only so much in front of him. Keep that in mind."

I nodded, my lips pursed.

Lord Darius released me from his grasp and led me toward heavy oak doors. Another set of intimidating gold statues stood guard. Tigers baring their ferocious teeth. I drew a deep breath to calm my nerves.

I can do this. Lord Hesse is just a man, not a god.

With one last glance at me, Lord Darius grabbed hold of the knocker and banged three times. The sound echoed as though we were in a deep cave, and my stomach twisted in knots.

No response.

"Can't you open the door with your mind?"

The Shadow Rider scoffed. "With my mind," he murmured in derision.

"However it works," I muttered with a shrug.

"No, I do not have access to all doors in the castle. Certainly not these. You have to possess a higher rank than a Baron for that privilege."

"But you're a Shadow Rider," I insisted.

Once again, he scoffed at me and shook his head. "You have a lot to learn."

My cheeks heated up at his words. I cast him a derisive glare. When the Rider turned his head towards me, he gave a mirthless chuckle.

"Dig deep, young one," he whispered in my ear. "If he decides to drain your power, meditate as I showed you in the Maze of Horrors."

"How will I know?"

"You will feel your energy and willpower seeping from you," he replied. "He'll drain your happiness like gravity pulls the sands into the bottom half of an hourglass."

"How can I fight that kind of power?"

"Sometimes you just have to stand strong," he replied, "and not give in."

His words triggered a flashback of my father before the heinous monster had ended his life.

Never give in, Helena.

Squaring my shoulders, I stared straight ahead of me. "I'm ready." I cleared my throat. "Should we knock again?"

"No," he replied. "Tactics, Helena. He wants to elicit a reaction from you. Fear. Doubt. Nerves. Anger. Anything to throw you off balance. He knows we're on the other side of this door."

Exhaling that deep breath, I glanced at Lord Darius. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Shadow Rider's hand inching towards mine until the doors clunked. He halted. After a series of locks clunked and shifted into place, he shot to attention and stood ramrod straight.

Six guards pulled open the doors with an ominous creak. They must have been heavy indeed, for a Dragonborn possessed the same strength as two imposing human males.

Lord Darius grabbed my arm and yanked me towards him.

"Hey!"

"Silence," he whispered. "Follow my lead."

With determined strides, he escorted me down the middle aisle of the stone chamber. Row after row of Dragonborn guards stood at attention on either side. They stared straight ahead at the Wraith raised above them upon the obsidian dais. 

Oh, gods! An entire cohort of Dragonborn? 

I have no chance.

Four of the thrones remained empty. Did this monster have a family? It never occurred to me that such a tyrant could have a wife or children. 

Lord Hesse sat on the central throne, his fingertips pressed together before his chin. Our footsteps were muffled by an ornate crimson rug that led towards the Protector of Halcía.

An audience with Death.

Whenever Lord Darius took a step, I heard a harsh sound of metal against metal. A bluish-gray chain shimmered and clanked with every step he took.

Magic.

My eyes followed the chain to a metal collar around the Shadow Rider's neck. The other end was strapped to a metal bracelet around Lord Hesse's wrist.

"What is that?"

"Silence!"

"No, look!"

"I see nothing, child. Now is not the time for your fantasies."

"It's right there. A chain of metal between you and--"

"Dare to finish that sentence, Helena," he whispered with an angry growl, "and those words will be the last you ever speak."

"Enough!" Lord Hesse bellowed from his throne. "Release her, Lord Darius. I shall determine her fate. Not you."

With an angry grunt, Lord Darius thrust me away. I wheezed until I finally caught my breath.

"Face me," Lord Hesse commanded as he beckoned me towards him. "Alone."

My self-preservation overcame my defiance. I strode towards him until he raised his palm to stop me.

The dark lord cocked his head as though he were observing a pet he might want to adopt. Absolute silence hung around us. I could almost hear the cohort breathing in unison.

The raw energy of that moment crackled and hissed in the air as pure evil stared at me.

Without warning, the dark lord stood.

At the same time, a hundred men pounded their fists over their hearts with a resounding clang as metal gauntlets resounded against metal armor. Lord Darius' voice pierced through the air like the crack of nearby thunder.

"All hail!"

A hundred right-heels hit the stone floor before a hundred left-heel stomps followed suit. A hundred palms faced the Protector of Halcía before all hundred soldiers shouted, "Hail!"

My insides melted to jelly even as my mind found something disturbingly satisfying about the display. With a shake of my head, I tried to dispel the eerie, dichotomous feeling from my heart.

With slow, heavy steps the Protector of Halcía descended the stone steps of the dais towards me, his every footfall reverberating like distant thunder. The magical metal chain clanked as he moved, and I turned around to look at Lord Darius.

"Face ... me!" the dark lord's voice boomed and echoed in the hall like an explosion.

As I whipped around, my heart thudded as though I'd just sprinted two hundred meters. The dark lord's robes billowed behind him until he stopped a foot in front of me. Extending a gloved hand towards me, he grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking it back until I gazed up at him with a yelp.

Dressed completely in black, he reminded me of the Guardian of Hades. The God of Death.

Can someone die of fear?

"Do you know what they call me, child?" he snarled as he pulled at the roots. "Say it."

I stared at him in silent defiance.

"Say it!"

Clearing my throat, I said, "The Death Bringer."

"Do you know the punishment for disrespecting one of my elite Shadow Riders?"

I shook my head.

"Speak!"

His command hurt my ears and caused me to flinch. I swallowed the lump in my throat and uttered a weak, "No."

"No, my Lord," he growled in reply as he dipped his masked face within inches of mine.

My tongue clamped to the roof of my mouth after I repeated, "No, my Lord."

He released my hair. Like a deer startled by a predator, I stood ramrod straight, unable to move. 

"Give me your hand," he commanded. I stared at him in shock before he roared, "Give it to me!"

After I'd extended my trembling right hand, he grasped it and pulled me towards him. I almost crashed into his body. My breath came in unsteady gasps as I watched him wrap his hands around my own.

What does he want with me?

___

A/N: Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story so far. If so, please vote and/or comment. I also appreciate constructive criticism and feedback.

Please bear in mind that this is a raw draft. As such, you may find minor errors until the editing process begins. Please feel free to point them out if you feel so inclined.