After being enveloped in a cloud of black smoke along with Ettrick, Iris was greeted with an all too familiar sight. Gaerfyrddin mountain, the place of worship for all sithrians. She burst into a fit of laughter at her ridiculous thoughts. Ettrick turned to her, studied her, and she finally straightened herself up and cleared her throat. She was about to die. She might as well die with dignity. Ettrick grumbled something intelligible and looked back at the pile of dirt that once was a mountain. There wasn't much left of it except for Arkathira, the only thing that survived its destructive rampage. Iris wished for a brief moment she could have seen it, wipe everything and everyone off the face of Ellora. They fucking deserved it and much more.
Ettrick tugged on her cloak. Iris sobered up and looked back at the source of all her problems. Arkathira, once buried deep inside the mountain, now stood on top, pulsating, shining brightly. Tendrils of energy whipped the scorched land around it. Iris puffed her cheeks and moved her feet with a heavy heart.
Ian's face flashed in front of her eyes, and she felt her lips tremble, and her heart ached and shattered into specks. She will be dead soon enough.
" You promised !" Iris mumbled under her breath, following Ettrick.
Ettrick turned to look at her " I made no promise!" and flatly replied. Gods, the most boring man in existence. He did not need more power, and yet here he was, craving for more.
Dread slowly crept into her heart the closer they got to Arkathira. The whips of energy retreated, and the pulsating ball of energy grew with each step she took. Iris frowned. Arkathira had never increased in size in her presence. Odd, she thought.
Ettrick halted his steps and turned to look at her again " Sit!" he ordered " This is close enough!" he plucked out of his robe a book and put it on the ground. It looked a lot like the one Bastos had. Iris ignored his order and snatched the book out of his hand. Ettrick reached to take it back, but she turned and began walking away.
" This is the same book I have!" she mumbled, flipping the book's pages.
Ettrick snatched the book back from her and returned to his previous spot, and began drawing the mark on her shoulder. Shit, how did he even know what it looked like?
" What is that?" Iris played dumb, and Ettrick stopped drawing.
Ettrick raised his head and looked at her. At least, that's what he was doing.
" It's the mark of your house. House Tarn-et-Garonne!" he flatly replied and reprised his scribbling.
"That's quite a mouthful!" she laughed at her joke, but she stopped when Ian's words rang in her head. Iris inhaled to stop her tears from breaking through, but one escaped from the corner of her eye.
Ettrick stepped out of the mark, looked at it for a moment, picked up the book and began turning page after page looking for something. There was nothing useful to him. She looked at the damn book countless times. It was in riddles and jumbles that made no fucking sense unless one sat down and deciphered the bloody thing.
" Having trouble?" she kicked a rock and clasped her hands behind her back. There was no point fighting Ettrick. She couldn't kill him. Ian was the only one that could pluck this sucker out of existence.
Ettrick raised his eyes from the book " No!" he said after a few moments of silence.
Iris hummed and casually paced around, keeping an eye on Ettrick, who concentrated on looking for whatever he was looking for in that book. What is he looking for anyway?
" What are you looking for? Maybe I can help you find it!" Iris smiled and looked up at Arkathira.
" No!" Ettrick said without stopping in his search.
" Is it about me? Where did you get the book? As far as I know, there is only one in existence. Did you make a copy? Did the witch give it to you? Are you one of my kind? A'Khina, I mean. Do you know where I can find them? Can you show me where they are? I deserve at least that much! You're about to kill me. One last wish, you know! " she had to stop, panting out of breath.
Ettrick growled. He was annoyed. Success, she beamed on her head. If she is going to die, at least go out smiling.
" You two are perfect for each other! Both annoying!" Ettrick said after a few moments of silence.
" Huh?" Iris asked, a little surprised at Ettricks remark.
Ettrick waved his hand in the air " You and the crazy one!" he returned to flipping the pages.
" Oh! I already know that!" she stuck her tongue out at Ettrick and bitterly smiled. Ian and she were made for each other.
Ettrick looked up at Arkathira, and she could swear that she saw a frown on the stone face. He threw the book on the ground and turned to her.
" Get inside the mark!" Ettrick ordered and pointed with his staff to mark.
Did he find what he was looking for? Couldn't he have? The book was the same, she hadn't successfully deciphered more than a page, and it was how A' khina was created. Yarin's pride and joy! At least, that was what was written in the book. Probably more nonsensical crap. At this point, she didn't believe anything or anyone.
"Get in within the mark! Stop wasting precious time!" Ettrick snapped her out of her trance.
Iris pulled a face and finally stepped inside the mark he had drawn. The mark glowed, and so did she. Little specks of light rose from her and the pattern. Ettrick grumbled and rubbed his chin. He lifted his staff off the ground, and the staff morphed into an all too familiar sword: the sword that Ian wielded and the soul collector. The blasted thing was everywhere.