The atmosphere around Mithrael carried a weight that nearly caused Josh to falter with every step. His blue eyes shone with anger, and waves of mana leaked from him. No one spoke as Josh and Susan followed closely behind him.

The hallway they were walking in carried the dread with it. Each wall seemed to whisper of terrible tragedies; ancient texts lined the walls, and Josh couldn’t read the writing. Susan’s eyes widened. "Ancient Dwarvish?" She muttered, tracing a line with her finger.

"This line..."

Josh hobbled over. "What does it say?"

Mithrael answered without turning around. "It is a warning. A curse is placed on those who open the door in front of us without fear of the consequences."

Susan nearly jumped away from the wall. She instead walked over to Josh. "Father, Josh has still not recovered enough to walk long distances." She said, her arm supporting the hero from behind.

Mithrael turned around. His usual composed countenance was gone, replaced instead by anger that seemed to cause the very air to scream in agony. "I know he is injured, but this must be done. Hero, I ask that you bear with me just a little longer. As the only man who knows the otherworlders and their tactics, I must ensure that my next plan is handled with care. You are the only person I can entrust with this task."

Josh had never seen Mithrael like this, and his hand found Susan’s, who looked as if she were about to shed tears. His fingers traced the back of her hand. "I’m okay, babe. I promise."

A door engraved with various beasts built with gold stood in front of them. One guard stood on either side of the door. Josh looked up, noticing that each beast was on the hunt. Lines of ancient Dwarvish accompanied each beast. Josh leaned closer, inspecting a Lion closely. "That lion is bigger than the mountain behind it." He murmured.

Susan then walked over, but she stayed further back than he did. "The snake that swallowed a world." She whispered.

Mithrael watched the two in silence while he looked at the images himself. To Josh, it seemed he was pondering a hard question.

Then, Josh saw the various natural disasters depicted as well. A volcanic eruption was at the top of the door. A Tornado was to the left of that scene, and a flood was on the right.

"It looks like the end of the world," Josh muttered as he approached the door, but a guard stopped him. "Please, Hero, take care with your approach." The Guard said. "We must have a mage unlock the seal first."

Josh nodded, gulping as he stepped back.

Mithrael sighed. "We must do it." He said softly, then his eyes lit up again.

"Bring High Mage Elsebeth here." He said firmly. "It is time to open the door."

As they waited, Susan approached Mithrael. "Father, what is this?" She said, looking warily at the door. "You never told me such a door existed, nor this hallway."

Mithrael eyed the door as Josh walked over. "Three hundred years ago, we entreated the dwarves to help us build something that would help defeat the dragons. Since I could not act in war myself, I brought designs in from your mother’s old world. The Dwarves refused because they said they would not ’build the device that ends the world’. I had to have their entire nation subjugated and their people enslaved. Treat this as a lesson, my daughter. Sometimes, as a ruler, you have to make the harshest decisions for the betterment of your people."

Susan looked up at Mithrael with horror. She retreated back towards Josh. "So.. Behind this door is a device that can end the world?" She whispered, tears running down her cheeks.

Mithrael didn’t answer at first, and Josh narrowed his eyes.

"Your majesty, do you intend on destroying this world if you can’t rule it?"

Before Mithrael answered, a young woman with pink hair and priestly robes approached from the hallway. Four guards walked with her, and the entourage kneeled, their faces pointed to the ground. "My God, I have come as you commanded." She said calmly.

Mithrael ignored Josh and turned to the new arrivals. "You may stand. Elsebeth. Undo the seal. I intend to rebuild the fleet."

Elsebeth bowed. "As you wish, my God."

Everyone present watched in silence as Elsebeth kneeled down. Her eyes closed and she clasped her hands together.

"Fret not in the iniquities that guide our past,

and forgive the fear of those who lead the world,

call forth the sacred text that wished for death,

and open the gate to the world of peril."

A blue light gathered in a transparent circle around the group, wind billowing around them as if a hurricane was blowing through the hallway. Josh looked around the circle. Transparent apparitions gathered around him. "Fie on you, Hero!" One yelled. Josh almost reached out to touch it, but Mithrael shook his head. "I wouldn’t do that if I were you, lest you be possessed." He said, looking forward as the door started to open slowly.

Various pained voices whispered from the shadows. "Free me." A voice shrieked.

"Not again!"

"Curse you!"

"You devil!"

The voices ceased calling out, and the light disappeared. Elsebeth wiped sweat from her face and tried to stand up. She nearly fell, and one of her retainers caught her. "It is done, my God." She said gently.

After the chaos had settled down, Josh looked up at Mithrael. "My lord, before I walk through that door, I must know the answer to my question. Do you intend to destroy this world if you cannot rule it?"

Mithrael sighed and turned to Josh.

"I will allow this blasphemy just once, hero." He growled. "I do not intend to wipe five centuries of work away because of some mere pests. They will accept my rule through fear or submission. Think of the things you saw in your old world. Does my Empire have any of that? I will answer for you. It does not. That is because I, a God, rule over Cartharic. Mortals need guidance, and after these foolish otherworlders submit, they will thank me and worship me in the future."

Josh bowed his head. "I apologize, my lord. I overstepped my bounds. Please find it in your heart to forgive me."

Mithrael exhaled, then smiled. "This was a perfect example, Hero. You needed my guidance to understand. Now, come and see what is behind these doors."

At Josh’s side, Susan could no longer speak. Her breath was coming in short gasps, and she clung to Josh’s arm. Her face was pale as she recalled the last few disembodied apparitions. One had been a child. She had looked at the little girl, and the girl said, "Your world will fall."

Josh followed behind Mithrael, his eyes narrowed. "He never answered my question."