What I found there was both wondrous and terrible--Earth herself set upon by demons. In many places, small chaos spirits sought to tear her asunder. As fast as she pushed her own substance into the gap, they tore off pieces which disappeared into a wailing void. Beside the wailing void stood that which could only be my lord, the Father of Beasts. Beside Hykim's primal beauty, grace, and strength, that with which he grappled seemed incomparably foul. Rising from the wailing void stood one demon greater than all the rest, built low to the ground with a multitude of arms. It grappled with my lord and at the same time the other arms ripped at the Earth around it. Hykim was stronger. In the end, I saw he would prevail, but what I could not see was how long Mother Earth could hold out. And so I knew what I must do.
In seconds, I went through mine entire quiver of arrows, so that several of the fiend's arms dangled limp at its side. With increasing surety, the many-armed fiend gave way, yet still rending Mother Earth. And now the fiend's minions descended on me. So I took up my battleaxe and stood fast, hoping my death would be enough to lift the curse on my people. Only one did I slay before I fell beneath them. And I watched in horror as they began to devour my right arm. When I regained my wits, I found my lord Hykim himself standing over me. And he showered me with praise, and carried me to the waters where he washed away my wounds. And beside me, the goddess also bathed, and I could see that her wounds had also healed. And I rejoiced.
And so I came at last to the Clouded Door. But there I found not my old friend Dowser. Instead, I passed out under the watchful eye of Death's new guardian. And what became of Dowser? That is another story.
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