The Quest for the Temple Key

“So, you must have caught up to him…Kahrnahrgx, I mean? Right?”

“Of course,” replied Kimar.

“Where was it you found him?”

“We caught him at his temple. But not in time to rescue the old woman,” Ercen said.

“Well, that’s the piece that puzzles me. If you have these beacons all around our world, sensing your enemies’ movements and possible attacks…well, doesn’t he do the same? Couldn’t he tell you were coming?” Peter asked.

“We thought we’d managed a way to enter his realm undetected,” replied Kimar. “In one respect, we were correct. We’d successfully parted many gargoyles sympathetic to our cause into the dominion of Kahrnahrgx to launch an attack on his Temple stronghold…”

Kimar began pacing back and forth along the cliff edge.

“However,” he continued, “when we launched our surprise attack at the main gate, one of the Temple guards dodged his foe long enough to sound the alarm, before being struck down. Therefore, we lost many in the assault. Only a few of us got into the lower floors of the Temple, where Kahrnahrgx kept his prisoners, while the battle raged above. I, alone, reached his final dungeon.”

Kimar stopped at the edge of the shelf, the talons on his feet protruding beyond the outermost rim and into the air. His shoulders sagged.

Amy noticed Ercen lower her head until her face was hidden.

“When I broke through the dungeon’s door…the human was yet alive, although grievously broken. The faintest spark of life remained in her,” Kimar spoke quietly into the air beyond the cliff.

Kimar gradually turned back to face his guests.

Danielle was shocked to see tears streaming down his face.

“What’s wrong, Kimar?” she cried out.

“In that moment, I hesitated to strike down Kahrnahrgx. In that moment, he parted her soul from her body and killed her. Then he vanished. She died on my account.”