Contents
Chapter 53
Overview
Separated from Zevander, Maevyth is captured by Magestroli to be sacrificed. Under Morsana’s guidance, she commands sablefyre, incinerates attackers, and frees herself. Dolion and Rykaia arrive; Maevyth parts the fire to escape but is cornered by guards and Melantha. Melantha reveals Dolion once sent Zev to kill Maevyth and tempts her with a path to Aleysia. Maevyth chooses to go with Melantha after securing Rykaia’s release.
Summary
Amid the melee, Rykaia and Torryn lead Maevyth to cleave away as Solassion guards approach. Torryn stays to fight while Rykaia slips through a seam. Maevyth is seized, drugged, and wakes shackled before robed Magestroli, where a Magelord begins a ritual to turn her blood to stone and weaponize it against plague and famine.
As sablefyre is forced down Maevyth’s throat, Morsana’s voice urges her to command the flame. Maevyth exhales torrents of black fire, blinding and killing the Magelord and, inadvertently, two more mages. A ring of sablefyre engulfs the chamber, trapping everyone; her shackles melt, leaving her free but terrified of the destruction she’s caused.
Rykaia and Dolion cleave up through the altar and reach Maevyth. Dolion insists Maevyth can control sablefyre. Following his guidance, Maevyth parts the flame, but Solassion guards advance. Dolion throws up a ward as Maevyth searches the Magelord for her stolen whistle, then leads them toward another corridor.
There, Melantha ambushes them, briefly subdues Dolion and Rykaia, and reveals Dolion once sent Zevander to kill Maevyth. Melantha claims she does not want Maevyth’s bloodstone and instead offers to take her to Mortasia and Aleysia, showing Aleysia pacing beyond an opened cleave. With guards closing in and options dwindling, Maevyth demands Rykaia’s release, then agrees to go with Melantha as Dolion protests.
Who Appears
- MaevythCaptured for a sacrificial rite; channels sablefyre to kill mages, parts the fire, and chooses to go with Melantha to reach Aleysia.
- MelanthaMagestroli mage who ambushes the group; exposes Dolion’s past order, shows Aleysia, and lures Maevyth to Mortasia.
- Dolion GevarysArrives via cleave, coaches Maevyth to command sablefyre, wards off guards; confronted for once sending Zev to kill Maevyth.
- RykaiaHelps Maevyth escape; recalls past; is put to sleep by Melantha, then freed as Maevyth negotiates her release.
- MagelordLeads the ritual to turn Maevyth’s blood to stone; is incinerated and blinded by her sablefyre.
- Solassion guardsPursue into the corridors after the flames part; trapped briefly by Dolion’s ward.
- TorrynStays behind to confront approaching Solassion guards as Rykaia and Maevyth attempt to cleave away.
- AleysiaAppears through a cleave beyond an archway, motivating Maevyth to accept Melantha’s offer.