The opening of the cerulean water wavered in front of Onyx in the dark cave. Around her, ancient Ruges were carved into walls with white chalk, smeared with dust, and some tainted with blood.

The Cave of Legends echoed loudly, nothing but Onyx's breath bouncing off the walls. Above her, the scripture Reiva Vas Serique was engraved in the ceiling in gold lettering. Her friends stood on a tall podium made from black rocks. Iredine stood across from her on the other side of the pool, her hands running through the cold water.

"This cave was built back when the Inner Circle was formed. It was to honor the deceased rulers and their impact on the kingdom, whether good or bad" she explained. "This pond is made of their magic and tears after their death. It holds the life story of every ruler who has ever taken the throne of an Inner Circle Kingdom. And today, it will help you discover your own story of your parents."

Onyx looked down into the deep pool, her breath hitching in her throat as she reached out to touch the crystalline water. The ripples forming froze at her touch and scattered away, dancing together to form a deep whirlpool in the middle of the pool. "Are you sure this is safe?" Onyx asked, looking at Iredine again. "I'm not in the mood for dying."

"That's a first" Castrin called out from where he was standing. He earned a glare from Iredine and a certain finger from Onyx who waved away his comment. "It's perfectly safe, Onyx. Once you say the name of your parents and step into the pool, it will suck you under and reveal their history to you, but it will feel like you are living through their eyes."

"Doesn't sound safe" Onyx replied. Iredine sighed and directed a look over to the court.

"Onyx, you'll be fine. If anything happens, we'll be right here to pull you out" Yongui called out.

"But in case we can't reach you in time, if you ever feel like being ejected from the pool, simply yell out the phrase, A'reivas Sav Serique. The visions will stop, and the pool will safely bring you back to reality and out of its depth."

Onyx nodded. With shaking hands, she took off the black veil that shaded her eyes and removed her shoes. She rolled up the sleeves of her dress and hiked up the trail of her dress so that it wouldn't get caught in the jaggy entrance to the pool.

"Good luck, Onyx" Iredine called out.

The Siphon nodded before looking down at the pool. She took a few steps in, the piercing cold water freezing her skin as the ground slipped from underneath her feet and the endless depths of the pool welcomed her. With a deep breath, she went underneath the water and swam into the middle of the pool where she emerged once more, her dark hair stuck to her forehead.

"Empress Eshara Kaslibieth and Emperor Aries Talgran." Onyx's voiced echoed among the walls of the cave. The water around her turned violent, rippling currents swirling around her feet and sucking her under. The color turned darker, almost black before sucking her under.

Onyx opened her mouth to scream, but the foul water rushed into her body and straight into her lungs, silencing her screams.

Everything was dark and black, making it impossible for her to see more than two feet in front of her face. She opened her mouth to scream once again but found herself being able to breathe underwater. Onyx let out a shaky breath, looking around her as she swam around the depths of the water.

A gold orb of light penetrated its way through the darkness, making its way towards Onyx. It was fast, zipping through the violent currents of the water until it was at fingertip reach. She reached out and touched it and the gold ball of light exploded and lit up the dark space around her. Wisps of images began to piece themselves in front of her and a booming voice began to speak to her in the emptiness around her.

"Empress Eshara Kaslibieth was the youngest of seven siblings and the daughter to the tribe leader Reina Kaslibieth of the FireBlood tribe whose roots were deeply rooted in Crojesian. Eshara had gained the reputation of being a skilled warrior and assassin in Crojesian and would regularly be recruited by the king to go undercover as a spy. The families had a good relationship established between them even though she was set to marry the heir of a neighboring tribe."

A picture of a beautiful woman appeared in front of Onyx. She was vibrant and young with long, dark hair and warm gold eyes that were laced with an emerald green ring. Her skin was caramel kissed with honey undertones and her face was daring yet soft. She ran with vigilant speed and fought with practiced skills. Onyx watched her mother in astonishment as she gained another victory, her laughter fading into the darkness as another image conjured itself in front of her.

"Emperor Aries Talgran was the emperor of Crojesian and the only child to his father Zayer Talgran and his mother Ingrid Talgran. They had recently given up the throne for their son only a few years back. Aries was a kindhearted ruler and very strategic and was known for his over the top, complicated plans that always seemed to win once they were executed on the battlefield. He was set to marry an anonymous princess from a far-off region, but he declined her and chose to marry his lifelong friend, Caria Erovex, in a differently arranged marriage."

An image of Aries Talgran appeared in front of the siphon and an immediate smile erupted on her face. His eyes were kind and a mirage of blue and green and his head was a curly, kinky mop. He seemed to love smiling and scheming and had an intricate mind for outlining battle plans. Onyx watched her father laugh and smile as he planned out his plots, his smooth voice covering what and where they were going to attack.

"After Cara Erovex was killed and Aries Talgran lost his first child, he refrained from making any public appearances. He was rarely seen at meetings and seemed to be going mad for the first few months after his wife's death until he met Eshara Kaslibieth." An image rippled in the water and the shadowy outline of her father meeting her mother was barely visible. Her mother didn't seem too impressed with him, but his eyes seemed to be intrigued by her already.

"She was supposed to assist him in guarding the barriers of the palace, but they wounded up falling in love and getting married just a year later on the same date they first met, the first day of the spring equinox." Wedding bells rang through the darkness and images of her parents dancing around on their wedding day. Eshara looked beautiful in her tailored wedding dress as she danced with her husband, sharing kisses and laughing all through the day.

"Eshara soon got pregnant with her first child and Aries second child and the two prepared to welcome their daughter. However, this came at a time where the mortals were rebelling against the immortals. They had slaughtered and killed thousands of desert tribe leaders and their followers and had already penetrated the walls to the Inner Circle. The mortals had begun tormenting the rulers and people of Lybrias but had not gained complete power yet."

The image of her parents disappeared, and a streak of red light passed through the darkness, creating a red sky full of flying swords and arrows as mortals ransacked villages and desert tribes, completing the most degradable crimes known to man. Onyx had to look away as she saw blood spill to the ground, the sound of children screaming ringing in her ears as the image slowly faded away.

"A few weeks before the birth of their daughter, Eshara and Aries received a prophecy from Viavi, the woman that was going to assist in the birth of their child and a local seer. She prophesized that their daughter would be the reincarnation of Kakarauri Agneyastra, the Goddess of the Inner Circle who was reincarnated by the rulers of hell and brought back to life to rid the world of evil and bring peace between the mortals, Inner Circle, Desert Tribes, and other nations outside Asxairo. She was and still is one of the most prominent figures in Asxairo's history and is often seen as a savior right next to Kavi Vashrioden, who is often seen as someone who fought for immortal rights and to end immortal slavery. To keep this secret, Eshara enslaved herself inside the palace and would rarely make any appearances, keeping her pregnancy a secret from the other rulers."

A burst of light exploded in the darkness and showed a series of her mother hiding inside the palace rooms, her father working with the guards to border up Crojesian and silence themselves from the rest of the Inner Circle, and her parents arguing with another. One image even included her father screaming at her mother in a heated argument, causing the empress to become overwhelmed and faint. His screams of agony and panic filled her ears and Onyx could feel the tears in her eyes pool as he carried her body back to the palace infirmary.

"On January 15th, during the night of the Black stone constellations, the same constellations Kakarauri was reincarnated underneath, Onouxia Ravenur Ashrevion Kaslibieth-Talgran was born and was blessed the next day by Viavi who confirmed that the princess was a demi-hybrid. Around this time, the mortals had successfully taken over Lybrias and Krayos and were split into two groups invading Navidia and Varien. To keep their child safe, Empress Eshara arranged for a secret group of maids to take care of her child in case of any emergencies.

The images of her mother and father hiding her in her room and chanting protective spells appeared before her and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"As an infant, Onouxia displayed signs of great power so to harness and control her power, Reinas Kaslibieth used the blood and magic of both of her parents to create Lucifer, the Kaslibieth-Talgran sword that was gifted to her before her parents went into war. It is said that the sword was blessed by the Gods and the rulers of the underworld who tempered it in phoenix flames before giving it to the infant."

A flash of light spiraled in the dark as her sword appeared before her eyes. It was beautiful and resilient as it rose from the fiery depths of hell and fell right into her arms. The Siphon swam a bit closer to get a better look at her infant self. The child in front of her was bubbly and fun with a mop of dark curly hair and warm honey eyes with an emerald ring. The child held the sword close to her chest, examining the blood ruby in the middle.

Onyx reached out to touch her, but the image disappeared and everything disintegrated into nothing. Everything faded into the blackness and not a sound could be heard around her. A red ball of light appeared in front of her and directed her deeper into the abyss.

Onyx forced her legs to go deeper into the water. Any source of light that had been guiding her disappeared and exploded into a supernova. Bits of red flames flew past her face as the darkness around her shaped itself into a battlefield, depicting the war of Gwanchu Lake. The ground shook as mortals and immortals fought tooth and bone, killing and sacrificing each other for a cause that was long forgotten. The screams of immortals being killed and torn apart shook Onyx's ears. She looked away long enough for the gruesome image not to be completely engraved in her mind but knew that it would be impossible for her to forget what she had just witnessed.

"Crojesian was the last kingdom to be overtaken by the immortals. By that time, Eshara and Aries had already evacuated their people to a different realm and had gathered the largest army in Asxairo history. Approximately fifty million warriors participated in the war and only a thousand survivors were left. Eshara arranged for Onouxia to be taken by a small group of maids during the war, but the infant was kidnapped by mortal soldiers whose intentions were to sacrifice her as a part of a devious plot to overtake the Crojesian throne. Eshara felt this through the bond she created with her child and ran to the palace to save her, but she was unfortunately captured and brought outside to the battlefield where her husband was apprehended and chained. There, the mortals forced her to watch her husband beaten and stripped of his wings. Once his torture was over, the mortals forced Aries to witness the mortal men violate, beat, and assault Eshara to the brink of death. The two leaders died with a white ash dagger to the heart and their throat slit open. Their bodies were buried Onouxia was never seen or heard from again."

Onyx watched with tears in her eyes as her parents called out her name even as they were beaten and tortured. Her mother's eyes were wide and filled with blood as she succumbed to her wounds and fell in her husband's arms. Her father held her close, tears streaming down his face as he wiped the blood from her cheeks and accepted their fates. The image blurred and revealed four men approaching them. They each carried white ash dagger and arrows, their faces covered, but the white tattoos on their neck revealed underneath their sheer clothing.

One of them raised their dagger in the air and lunged towards her parents. "No!" Onyx's screams were nowhere to be heard underneath the rippling currents underwater. Tears streamed down her face as she pushed herself towards her parents, but the images had already disappeared before she could touch them. The lights dimmed to form one last picture.

Her parents, dead on the battlefield. Their eyes were wide open, and their fingers were interlocked with one another as they stared into the open night sky. A single dagger was protruding from their chest and thin rivers of blood leaked from their neck and mouth.

The Siphon sucked in a breath as she reached out to touch her parents. Her fingers slipped through the image and onto the other side which was a continuation of the endless abyss she was in. The image faded in front of her and the darkness welcomed her once again.

The calming voice that had illustrated the life of her parents kept talking, even as Onyx sobbed into her hands. "Although Onouxia has not been seen again and has been considered dead for years, there is no denying the fact that she would have been a force to be reckoned with. The heir to the Crojesian throne and a powerful demi-hybrid, she was destined for great things even before her birth. As a reincarnation of Kakarauri Agneyastra, her main goal would be to restore peace between the Inner Circle, Desert Tribes, and Mortal Kingdoms. She was also destined to be acquainted with the king and queen of the underworld and be crowned the messenger between the underworld and the afterworld and restore order to extinct species of immortal beings such as Mind Siphons and so much more. Other plans included bringing her parent's kingdom to what it once was and expanding Crojesian to join its borders with Durvalieon and sign an official agreement between the two kingdoms to start a network of trade and travel between the two powerhouse kingdoms. While her list of royal priorities expands beyond what we know, it has never been fully discovered what other priorities she would have taken over if not for her untimely disappearance and death."

The voice faded away and the balls of light that had been guiding her collected to form a monstrous ball of light that took the shape of a human being. Onyx swam away with all her might, holding her breath as the ball of light shined brightly and combusted into a ghostly image. The Siphon watched with wide eyes as she saw the same familiar dark locks and warm eyes meet her gaze and the same bejeweled crown reveal itself on the head it sat upon. The woman was dressed in a long gold dress, the dark Ruges on her arm a stark comparison against her skin. Months ago, Onyx would have scowled at this woman or asked her why she was tormenting her life.

But now, looking at her warm eyes and knowing who she truly was, Onyx held her breath and wasted no time pushing her way towards the woman. The beautiful woman held her arms out as the Siphon buried her face in her chest, sobbing uncontrollably. "Mom!" she croaked between her sobs. Empress Eshara nodded and held her daughter close to her, resting her cheek on her head.

"I knew you would figure it out. You are my daughter after all" she said in a calm voice as they broke apart. Onyx smiled and sniffled through her tears, causing the empress to reach out and wipe her face clean. "Don't cry, my love. I'm here now and we are together." She smelled of vanilla and roses and Onyx held on to her hand, soaking presence in.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Onyx questioned through teary eyes. "Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

"I couldn't, Onyx. Believe me, I wanted to but, at the same time, I wanted you to find out on your terms because it would create a bigger impact in your life than me just lingering around in your mind, spending hours telling you our entire life story" Empress Eshara explained. "Also, the gates to the afterlife would not have remained open for that long if I were to tell you.".

"So, you and dad never abandoned me?" Onyx asked. The Empress shook her head. "God and stars, no. We loved you so much. We still do and we wanted to protect you with every fiber in our body, but we were too late." Tears streamed down her face as she held her daughter close to her. "Our only regret was not holding you one last time before our death. We're so glad you're okay." she smiled down at her daughter, planting a kiss on her forehead. "You're so beautiful."

"Where is dad?" Onyx asked, looking around the dark abyss. "Is he here?"

"He's lounging beyond the gates of the afterlife," she remarked in a slightly annoyed tone, waving her hand. Unlike me, he follows the rules and tries not to go over the gate, but I will convince him soon so don't worry." A laugh escaped Onyx's lips through her tear-streaked face. "I have so much to tell you about the desert tribes and the Inner Circle and-"

"I'm sure you do, my love, but I have very limited time here with you" the empress warned, cutting Onyx off mid-sentence. "As much as I would love to hear about your life, my sole purpose here is to grant you one wish. It can be anything you want to see, know, or hear, but you only get this opportunity once. Whatever you wish for will help you with your quest."

"Anything?" Onyx asked. Empress Eshara nodded, holding out her hand. A stream of magic flew from her grasp, gold beams of light illuminating the dark. "Anything you want, my love."

"In that case, can you show me Raebar's body?" Onyx asked. "I want to see the man who is responsible for so much tension between the desert tribes and the inner circle. He must be dangerous if Draco linked his magic to his body to secure the barrier protecting it."

"As you wish. But approach with caution" she warned. She closed her eyes and extended her arms. Beams of golden light streamed from her grasp and took the shape of a body a few feet away from Onyx. The Siphon swam towards it and watched as the beams of light revealed a man with dark, long hair and a scar on his brow. His eyes were closed, and he was covered in tattoos and Ruges from his neck to his chest and arms. He was dressed in traditional tribal clothing ranging from the beads that decorated his arms and hair to the colorful pants he wore around his legs. In his hands, he clutched a sword close to his chest, the jagged end meeting the delicate skin. Onyx swam closer to him, examining all the jewels and riches he was buried with.

"He must have been loved" Onyx uttered, tracing her fingers down the bridge of his nose. Her mother snorted, rolling her eyes at the comment. "I guess that's one way you can put it" she muttered under her breath. Onyx stifled a laugh as she neared his eyes, her fingers stopping at the top of his nose where his eyes separated. His body seemed to vibrate with a lively rhythm, his muscles tensing at her touch.

The Mind Siphon moved closer, watching with porcelain eyes as red magic outlined his veins and muscles, creating an elaborate path that crawled its way up to his chest and around his eyes. Everything was quiet and dead, even as the knife clutched to his chest began to glow and the Ruges imprinted on his arm were glistening with gold magic.

"Raebar?" Onyx questioned taking a step closer. The steady humming of his breath rang through her ears and the pattern of his chest moving up and down set off alarms in her head, but she moved closer until she could see the subtle movement in his throat and hear the faint pause of his breath.

...Time passed and darkness stood still as the world held its breath.

Then, with one great force, his eyes opened, revealing silver eyes that burned with a vengeance. His cold gaze glanced over to her and the look of hatred quickly overtook his face.

"YOU!" The word escaped his lips with an undertone of disgust. Onyx gasped and began to push her legs upward, but the tribe leader was already dragging her down to the bottom of the abyss. "Onyx!" The sound of her mother's voice was distant and faint, her vision clouding with stars and darkness.

An iron grasp tightened around her neck, causing the Siphon to thrash in the rough currents that pushed her around, knocking her into black walls and stones that cut into her skin. Onyx pried at her neck but felt nothing, but thin air and water slip between her fingers.

Her heart was beating wickedly in her chest as darkness hugged her closer to nowhere. She tried to perform a quick spell, but her mind was slowly slipping away as she felt every bit of her magic drain from her body.

"Onouxia! Say the words and you'll be free!" Empress Eshara's voice cut through the fog, her shadowy figure reaching out to Onyx in the dark. A ball of light orbited around her hand, her eyes glowing red with anger. "Just say the words!"

"A'reivas Sav Serique." The words were barely enough, but they were audible enough. The rough currents that had been beating her body suddenly stopped, forming a whirlpool underneath her feet. The tightening grip around her neck continued to squeeze her tight even as the whirlpool began to push her out of the abyss.

"A'reivas Sav Serique!" Onyx screamed the words louder, causing the whirlpool to push her upwards with incredible force. She held her breath as the bright lights of the outside world met her eyes, blinding her.

"So long, my love! Until we meet again!" Her mother's sweet voice called out to her, causing Onyx to turn around just in time to see a ball of light heading towards her way. A silent scream left her lips, eyes squeezed shut as steel-heavy force whipped past her body. The tightening grip that had been around her neck loosened and eventually vanished, leaving the siphon gasping for air as the sweet air met her lungs once again.

The dim lights of the cave met her eyes as she erupted from the surface of the pool, the water spitting her out onto the gravel stone floor. A gasp of air left Onyx's lips as she collapsed on the floor, her wet clothes and hair sticking to her sweaty skin.

"Onyx!" The pitter-patter of footsteps slapping the floor approached her as the court and Iredine met her, worry laced in their expressions. "Are you okay? What happened? We were getting worried!" Iredine asked as the Siphon struggled to articulate her words, still taking in large gasps for air.

"Why are you bleeding?" Azura asked, gesturing towards the cuts on her legs that were leaking with blood. "What happened down there?"

"I-I..." Onyx opened her mouth to say the words, but a gush of water spilled from her lips, causing her to turn over and eject it from her system. A foul taste left her mouth dry and her body shaking, her eyes still finding ways to adjust to her new surroundings.

"Why is there a red ring around your neck? Onyx, what the hell happened?" Falcon pressed on, shaking her shoulders. She pushed him away, rolling on to her side and digging her fingers into her dark hair. She shook her head, a strangled gasp mixed with cries leaving her lips. She heaved heavily, her lips shaking as tears streamed down her face.

"He's back" she whispered, barely audible.

"Who is back?" Yongui questioned, pushing her wet hair awake. Onyx turned away, shaking her head as she uttered the next words that fell from her lips.

Foul, soul-crushing, wicked words.

"Raebar. He's back" she said, shaking with tears. "He has awoken." 

A/N: And that is the end of Chapter Thirty Six!

Well, the truth is out and we finally got to me Onyx's mom! The Iconic Empress Eshara Kaslibieth-Talgran. I think this is one of my favorite chapters by far just because I had so much fun writing it!

I hope all of you enjoy it as well! Tell me your thoughts!

How are you liking The Septic Curse? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Love you guys! Thanks for the constant support!

Are you guys enjoying the books and series so far? I want to hear your honest opinion!

So tell me what you guys thought of this chapter.

Any NEW Ships you like?

Any specific scenes you liked! Any conspiracies? I would love to hear them!

Thank you guys for all your constant support. It means so much to me that you enjoy this book. I enjoy writing it and to hear your feedback always makes my day!

So tell me what your thoughts are on this chapter and don't forget to comment down below and vote if you liked it.

Until next time Lovelies!

With love, May