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“His lies won’t stand scrutiny. And he’s not your most pressing problem.”

“What is?”

“The evil trapped within the frozen lake.”

“Are you going to give me a proper explanation or keep giving me tidbits?” Avera complained.

“How to explain...” Opal leaned back in her seat and her expression turned dreamy. “A long time ago, a great foul being came to our world and laid waste to it. Burning. Murdering. Destroying. Through great courage and sacrifice, that evil entity was vanquished, buried under this mountain, frozen in time.Forgotten until a curious Verlorian came along and broke the seals that kept the foul one trapped.”

It might just be coincidence and yet Avera murmured, “My father.”

“Yes, your father, Basil Currosa of Verlora. Despite my warning your mother to never return after she was crowned and did her pilgrimage to the Spire, Basil convinced her to bring him here. Claimed scientific curiosity. Which wasn’t exactly a lie. What he failed to tell Calixte was his intention to steal what he sought, thus starting a chain of events that included your mother’s death.”

“What did he take?”

“Five very unique rocks.”

The reply had Avera frowning. “That doesn’t seem to be a great crime.”

“It is when those stones acted as locks. You see, the prison created for this evil thing wasn’t enough to stem its influence. Even frozen, it tried to exert its will.”

Avera held up a hand. “Why jail it if it was so dangerous? Why not kill it instead?”

“Because it is essentially immortal. Our weapons are not sharp enough to cut through its hide. Our magic is too weak to cause damage.”

“I’m surprised it could be imprisoned.”

“It took great sacrifice to do so,” was Opal’s somber reply. “Many died to stop its reign of terror. Many more dedicated their lives over the centuries to ensure it could never escape. These guardians lived in Ultilina, tasked with ensuring no one ever helped it escape.”

“You called yourself guardian and yet you don’t live in the city,” Avera pointed out.

“I don’t anymore, but my predecessors did. As time passed and the evil remained contained, the threat became less urgentin people’s minds. The number of guardians dwindled. Some died while others chose not to pass on their duty to their heirs and sent them away to have a life outside the Spire.”

“You stayed.”

“Someone had to.” Opal’s lips turned down. “It wasn’t so bad when I had my husband. But he and our only child died while out hunting fresh meat. That was when I relocated to this cave. I couldn’t stand the echoes of the past in the empty city.”

“I’m sorry.”

Opal shrugged. “It happened a long time ago.”

“If you’re alone, how are you supposed to guard?”

“I didn’t. I failed. My warning to your mother went unheeded. Basil stole the five seals. With them gone, it took all my strength to stem the mist that kept trying to rise. However, the death of your mother changed something. Suddenly, I lacked the strength to counter the magical fog, and it spilled down the Spire, bringing people to Ultilina, starting the thing we feared most. The release of Zhos.”

“That’s its name?”

Opal nodded.

“How have I never heard of it?”

“Its existence was wiped from every annal, every memory. And before you ask why, there was fear that one day someone foolish might try to release it.”

“Why would anyone do that?”

“Greed. Zhos is known to whisper false promises as a way to sway people to do its bidding.”

“Is that why the villagers are here? They heard it whispering?”