It was now night-time.
Eric, Victoria and the rest stood crowded in a dinghy rushing towards the small island.
Besides the whirr of their small boat's motor, only the sound of the slowly drowning ship far ahead pervaded the silent night.
The ship they'd used for their escape sunk slowly into the waters of Sagari, joining the countless wrecks that lay below.
The dinghy they currently boarded could be more easily disposed. There were countless of its kind dotted around the coasts.
THUD
Within a few minutes they hit the shores. Leaving the ocean behind, they scrambled past beaches and salty air. Deep into the tropical underbellies of the island, Eric's entourage became enveloped by thick, clustered trees.
The cool breezy air carried the smell of vegetation and salted water into their nostrils. It worked to ease their tense minds, though the rustling of leaves and shadowed creeks told of unknown dangers.
Kai especially looked unsuited for the terrain.
Further cloaked by the darkness of the night, the little visibility of their torches let Eric see she was moments from having a heart attack.
She and Silas walked behind Victoria and Eric who led the way.
Raz, with the still tied Thea strolled at the far back.
Only Silas, Kai and Thea were without guns.
It had been years since Eric last came to the desolate island. He couldn't be too sure if it was as isolated as he remembered.
"What do you think mom and dad would do in our shoes?" Eric suddenly asked Victoria.
Silas and Kai were so engrossed in their own conversation they paid the prince and princess little mind.
Raz was too far to hear Eric's soft words over the noise of nature.
Victoria let a small smile tug at her lips. "Asides complain about the number of insects?"
Eric couldn't stop himself from chuckling. After a short pause, Victoria continued speaking.
"They'd probably be on this same path." She said reassuringly.
"What you've done already is nothing short of miraculous."
Eric let out a deep sigh at Victoria's words, his face turning dark.
"And what would they think of what I have done?" He clenched his fists tightly as he spoke. "What I plan to do?"
His words were strewn out with restrained force. The weight of his knowledge and decade of capture, still wore on him.
Victoria glanced at Eric with curled brows. "You are their son, Eric."
Eric saw the worry and understanding colour his sister's face. He knew she would infer the cause of his doubt to be the secret he refused to share with her.
The princess moved her bandaged fists to clench the heirloom around her neck.
Raz had returned it to Eric as soon as they boarded the boat. And he'd given Victoria not long after.
She called Eric's attention to the piece. "When I gave you this, I made you promise, you'd return it to me no matter how long it takes." Victoria said. "And you did."
Eric lips grew into a thin line at the paradox of his sister's words.
"That is who you are. Whatever our parents thought wouldn't matter. They would only want you not to lose yourself." She finished.
The prince heaved a tired sigh. "Thank you sister."
"You're welcome." She answered crisply. "Are you going to tell me what's really been bugging you now?"
Eric nervously flicked through his fingers with his thumb.
"I thought we were both keeping secrets." He said, trying to shift the focus of their conversation.
"It's not truly a secret, as much a heritage we both share." Victoria shocked Eric by broaching what he'd assumed she would avoid.
"A heritage I don't completely understand yet." Victoria continued.
"But the little you do understand?" Eric pressed.
A long pause accompanied his words, until Victoria broke the silence.
"We're close." She said plainly.
Her sudden announcement didn't bother Eric too much. He was becoming accustomed to his sister's odd new traits since her rescue.
And for some reason his heightened memories couldn't accurately place the directions to the hidden estate.
So in truth it was Victoria leading the way.
Another, shorter, moment of silence ensued, before she began speaking again.
"Between reality and fantasy exists the Veil." Victoria said. "The source of all mysteries, and powers beyond the physical. A domain where all gods are born and dwell."
Eric was about to voice his disbelief at her words. The existence of gods had especially been a philosophical debate plaguing humanity since its inception.
To hear there was a place these entities were born baffled his mind. But considering all he'd seen and the reality of his own experience, the existence of gods, didn't sound too far fetched.
'And the source of Narcosa and Damian's abilities?' Eric thought, making the connections. 'Highly likely. It's probably the anomalous energy the system keeps detecting too. Though I doubt it's directly connected to cultivation. Cultivation would be more optimised for humans and commonplace in the world if it was of the veil.'
Victoria, apparently unbothered by the confusion on her brother's face, continued.
"Through various means and circumstances, humans have learnt how to wield this chaotic power."
Her steps began to slow.
"By rituals, pacts, and blood." She then abruptly stopped walking.
It was at that point Eric noticed he and Victoria were alone. The sounds of the others had faded, the forest around them growing preternaturally still.
He had somehow become so focused on Victoria's words he didn't even notice when they reached a small clearing between the bushes.
The clearing felt separate from reality. The air was perfectly still and spread no sounds, carrying a faint, ozone-like scent. Not a single leaf or twig on the ground appeared disturbed by any creature's passage.
To mark the place even more strange, a single jagged obelisk jutted from the ground at the centre. Like a blooming flower.
The obelisk was covered in all areas by intricate but strange carvings which snaked about it's body.
Despite the obvious oddity before him, Eric's mind didn't classify it as anything of note.
Instead of panic or fright, Eric's attention slipped back to Victoria's voice.
She began moving again towards the obelisk. Holstering her gun, she retrieved a blade she'd brought along as a secondary weapon.
"Those who harness the Veil by their blood are called Blessed, Scions,"
In a sudden flash she cut a gash across her palm. Liquid crimson gushed out in droves, but Victoria paid it little mind.
"Demigods" She finished.
Lifting her hand, she smeared her blood on the obelisk in short order. Then she began a guttural, almost inhuman chant that was spread throughout the space.
Eric understood none of what she said and found himself unable to move throughout the process.
Not due to outside factors, but the instinctual feeling of inevitable death if any wrong movements were made. He consciously reduced any unnecessary movements and even lowered his breathing to be safe.
Seconds passed as winds began lashing about the clearing and Victoria's chanting grew more and more intense.
Then Eric felt an overbearing presence descend upon them.
He knew it lasted not more than a second, but it felt like standing next to the sun. Before his nerves could flare in pain the presence vanished.
The next moment, from the obelisk Eric watched space expand.
As the land stretched upon itself, like unrolling a carpet to reveal it's full length and all the dirt hidden with it.
Soil grew in all directions sliding beneath his feet, with the obelisks as the centre.
First there were leaves, then he saw pavement, then a gate, and the next second small houses then finally a mansion.
Occupying where the obelisk had been was a massive house short of being considered a palace, and all around them were smaller houses of various sizes.
Throughout the terrifying, awe-inspiring process, the system in his head remained stubbornly, conspicuously, silent.
The mansion exactly as he remembered, yet perfectly preserved. The white stone of its walls were unweathered, its gates untarnished.
Although the other houses and structures within the estate were new additions that stood against his memories.
The absurdity of what he'd witnessed pushed even his own mind to the brink of insanity.
Cool breeze hit Eric's confused face. It was then Eric realised, he no longer felt cut off from the world.
He blinked, and only then did he become aware of the others.
Kai, Silas, Raz, and a bewildered Thea stood frozen in their trekking formation a few paces behind, as if the very earth had carried them forward without their notice.
"What... how did this get here? We were right behind you!"
Ignoring Silas' remark, Eric focused more on his surroundings.
Victoria was back next to him, but deathly pale. Her eyes were sunken and she swayed with the wind.
"Through our blood, we harness the Veil." Victoria whispered with latent fatigue. "For the blood of gods runs in our veins."
Then she collapsed. Eric's dazed mind barely acted fast enough to catch her.
As her weight settled against him, he felt a frightening chill seep through her clothes, as if the ritual had burned away all her warmth.