"Come on, Sierra! Run!"

Sierra and Kleo were complying with Toshi's orders the best they could they ran down the halls and up staircases as fast as they possibly could. Finally they came to a banquet hall with two huge oak doors at the back of the room.

"According to the legends I've heard, this is it. The next room is where the Mazoku Lord Shabranigdo was summoned," Kleo informed Sierra as they stood in front of the doors.

"Kleo. . .I'm not sure if I can go into this room," Sierra responded with an incredible sorrow in her voice.

"Why? We have to try to stop whoever intends to summon Shabranigdo,"

Kleo stared Sierra straight in her eyes. The deep sorrow and pain in her blue eyes was again very visible.

"Sierra, you're not telling me something. Please, what is it?"

Sierra hesitated a moment before deciding to confess. "When we first came to this tower I was somewhat doubtful that the Mazoku were really involved. I had never actually seen one before so I assumed that this situation wasn't all that different from any of the other missions I've taken in my duty to serve Lord Rekos and the Ryuzoku God Ceiphied. But with the appearance of that Mazoku priest and this weird change that's happened to Toshi, I know that what I had hoped against is true. The blind woman who wears the black plate mail. . .this woman we seek to try to regain the stolen piece of the staff. . .her name is Terra,"

"You know her?" Kleo inquired.

"Yes. She is a fellow Blade Dancer and the closest thing I have to family. I had my suspicions that she was behind this, but now there is no doubt in my mind. I. . .I just don't know if I can face her," tears slowly crept into Sierra's eyes as she continued, "I. . .I might have to kill her and that's the last thing I ever want to do."

"If she's a Blade Dancer then why would she steal such an important artifact and make contact with the Mazoku?"

"I don't know. I just don't know. . ." the tears in Sierra's eyes now trickled down her cheeks.

"Sierra, you tried to comfort me earlier when I felt guilty about killing that assassin back in Ebonheim. I'm not much of a counselor, but all I can tell you is that you need to look this situation straight in the face. You can't run from something like this. I'm not sure what I can do, but I'll be here to help all I can,"

Sierra said nothing but silently pushed the doors open.

"You're right. I must face it," she replied to Kleo as she began to walk into the chamber behind the huge oaken doors. Kleo followed a short distance behind.

The final chamber of the Tower of Rezo was remarkable. There was no roof in the whole chamber, and the unnaturally dark sky could be seen above. A strong wind blew throughout the chamber. In the center of the room was a huge magic circle with all of its engraving and runes, and in the center of the circle was a woman wearing black plate mail.

"Terra. . ." Sierra whispered, "Why did this have to be?"

"Welcome, Sierra," Terra responded, "It's good to meet with my adopted sister again. And I sense you've brought another friend along as well. I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

Sierra stared at Terra for a moment. Terra held the piece of the staff in her right hand; her long black hair waved wildly in the strong wind.

"Why, Terra?" was all that Sierra said.

"Why? I thought it should be obvious. But I guess maybe not, since you've never had to live with what I've had to go through. I'm blind Sierra; you know that. I want to see. I've always wanted to be able to see more than anything else in the world."

"But you can see! You use magical vision! I know you do! It's how you get around so well,"

"Magical vision?" Terra laughed aloud, "Sierra, my dear sister, you don't understand how magical vision works, do you? It's not like what you normal people experience when you open your eyes to embrace the light of the world. It's more like a sensation. . .a feeling in your mind. . .it tells you that someone is standing in front of you. It tells you how far away that someone is. It tells you what shape that someone is. . .but all these things are a far cry from true sight. I have never seen nor do I even understand the concept of color. People tell me that I present myself as though I am a morbid woman because of all of my clothes are black, but that means absolutely nothing to me."

"Do you really think that contracting with a Mazoku Lord will give you sight?" Sierra asked doubtfully.

"I believe it is the only option left. I have pleaded with the spirit of Rekos. I have prayed to our God Ceiphied. I have been completely faithful to the teachings of the Shrine as well as the teachings of the Ryuzoku. And what have I gotten in return? No, not nothing, but I think I would prefer nothing. Instead of showing mercy upon my soul and bestowing me with sight, the fates seem to prefer to hand me tragedy upon tragedy."

"Terra, I know you've never been the luckiest of people, but you must reconsider!"

"Not the luckiest of people?" Terra again laughed, "Oh, my dear sister. You've never before been informed with the story of how I originally came to the Shrine of Rekos. But that's all right. Now is as good a time as any to tell you.

"I was born to a wealthy family in a kingdom to the north of here. My family was highly respected seeing as my father was a priest and my mother a priestess. But then one day I was born. I was a demon amongst angels. I was blind from birth, which is a condition that only those who are admired by evil receive. To make matters worse, I was extremely skilled with black sorcery, another blasphemy to my family and my name. The clergy and king's advisors met and decided that I was a creature born of darkness that could only lead to darkness.

"My parents were spared persecution because of their devoutness to the Gods and their kindness towards those in need, but I was to be destroyed for the sake of the kingdom. When the officials came to take me away from my parents I was only six years old, but I remember that day vividly. As they took me away, I pleaded with my parents to stop them. My parents only stood by silently and I was dragged off. I was devastated. My own family, my own parents had rejected me. I was infuriated. I'm not too sure about what happened next, but I do remember that I single handedly killed the all of those people who came to take me away with black sorcery. The kingdom's sorcerers were assembled to try to stop me. I killed three fourths of the sorcerers and destroyed half the city before they finally managed to stop me.

Terra stopped her tale for a moment. Sierra stared at Terra, not believing what was being told to her. Could it be possible that a child of six years could be skilled enough with black magic to slay that many professional sorcerers and destroy half of a city? It was true that Terra was the lead sorceress a the Shrine of Rekos as well as a Blade Dancer, but from Sierra's experience Terra could only use Shamanistic Magic.

"Please tell me you're lying. . ."

"I wish I was," Terra continued with her tale, "I was held in a maximum security prison guarded by a score of sorcerers for seven days. Then came the day I was scheduled to be terminated. On that day I tried to escape. I destroyed the prison. I killed hundreds in my flight from my home. Amongst those I killed were my parents. I saw them. I stopped. I spent ten seconds inwardly debating what to do, but I finally decided that those cowards were not fit to be called my parents. I slew both of them without another thought.

"I spent the next three years running from kingdom to kingdom. I think I probably made history; a high-class felon at less than a decade old. As I wandered east I eventually came across the people of our community. But unlike the people I had met everywhere else in the world, they didn't see me as a monster. They sheltered me under their wings and taught me of the Gods and how to repent for my sins. For the next fifteen years I dedicated my life to the Ryuzoku, but for what? I am still blind. The blood on my hands refuses to wash off. Sometimes I wonder if maybe the Mazoku killed all the Ryuzoku. And so when the day came that those bandits stole the piece of the staff a mysterious priest who wore black garbs met me. He promised that he knew a way to cure my blindness. How could I refuse? I would finally find a path to repentance, even if it meant contracting with the Mazoku."

"He's lying, Terra! Don't believe him! He's a demon!" Sierra shouted to her adopted sister.

"He may of the Mazoku, but the Mazoku cannot lie,"

Sierra drew her scythe and now with the orihalcon armor out of the picture enchanted it with an Astral Vine.

"Please, don't make me do this Terra,"

"My own sister. The only person I've ever thought of as family. Now you too intend to kill me?"

"I don't want to hurt you, but I can't let you summon the Ruby-Eye,"

"Then you leave me no choice," Terra replied with a dangerous tone in her voice, "Xellos!"

The Mazoku priest in the guise of a human wearing black garb suddenly appeared between Sierra and Terra.

"You called, m'lady?" Xellos mockingly asked while giving a deep bow to Terra.

Terra ignored Xellos's attitude for a moment. "Don't let them interfere, but please do not kill them."

"As you wish, m'lady," Xellos replied while turning to face Sierra, "What a pity, here we are again without that meddling friend of yours to help you but this time I'm not allowed to kill you. I guess I'll just have to wait."

"Xellos, if you ever harm Sierra in any way I will kill you myself!" Terra warned her none-too-trustworthy partner.

"Oooo! I'm scared!" Xellos mocked her, "I thought before you didn't mind if I killed her. Oh well, humans are capricious creatures and I did swear my service to you, so I suppose I have no choice but to comply."

"Damn you, demon! How dare you corrupt her?" Sierra swung her scythe at Xellos, but again he stopped the blade with only his hand.

Kleo who seemed to have decided that trying to kill a Mazoku was not a sin aimed her gun at Xellos's chest and fired three times. The bullets slowed as they approached the black priest until they struck him at a speed a snail would scoff at. Upon contact, the bullets melted and dripped to the floor.

"Stupid humans, there's nothing you can possibly do against me. Go ahead whenever you're ready, m'lady,"

Terra lifted the piece of the staff above her head and began chanting.

"That chant, it's like the Dragon Slave that Toshi used," Sierra realized.

The dark sky above seemed to part and a single ray of white light fell upon Terra.

"No! Terra! Stop!" Sierra screamed desperately, "If you summon Shabranigdo you'll die!"

"It's too late. She has her desire now," Xellos whispered to Sierra.

The piece of the staff shattered in Terra's hands. The fine sands of what remained scattered to the floor. Terra opened her eyes. Her brown eyes scanned the chamber taking in all the wonders of actually understanding sight. She turned to Sierra.

"I did it Sierra," Terra calmly stated and then burst out laughing, "I DID IT!!! I can see now! Oh, how different things seem to me now!"

Sierra didn't share Terra's calm joy. She was horrified. The ray of light slowly faded and while doing so cast Terra's shadow along the floor; her shadow was what scared Sierra.

"What's wrong, Sierra?" Terra asked.

Sierra only stared in horror at Terra's shadow. It resembled Terra somewhat, but the figure was deformed. It's arms sported giant talons that almost reached the feet. In the middle of the shadow's forehead was bright crimson light resembling the glow of light off of a ruby formed from blood.