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"I’m pleased with you, Koldo You have placed another’s well-being before your own" Clerici closed the distance "You have no idea of the outcome, and yet still you do this"

Koldo closed his eyes and said not a word, asked not a single question

"What you’re doing is a true expression of love," Clerici said, "and I co!

"This is your last chance to walk away"

A muscle ticked below his eye

"Very well," Clerici said

A pauseand then the first blow fell

Leather against deci bits of skin,Koldo locked his jaw The second blow fell The third The fourth His jaw hurt so badly fro to contain his screams he was certain he’d popped the bones out of place

This ti fro the sickness as if it were an unwanted winter coat He i spiritual laws, learning and growing and putting demons in their place--beneath their feet

The fifth blow The sixth

He had no flesh left, he was sure EveryBlack spots winked through his vision

The seventh Eighth Ninth

Tenth Eleventh Twelfth

Finally Koldo could hold back no longer A cry of agony burst from him

Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth

He breathed in through his nostrils, short, gasping pants, and breathed out through his mouth The whip continued to fall He couldn’t pass out He had to be able to get hiet to the Water and back through the gate Otherwise, all of this would have been for nothing

After thirty blows, the whip at last stopped

"Done It’s done"

Koldo’s head lolled forward, his cheek resting on the stuth," Clerici told hiate in front of hith? Yes, that was true The code was in his heart, burning as hotly as his back

He could do this

He crawled forward, black still winking through his line of sight Once he passed the iron, dirt gave way to grass, cushioning his hands and knees Yes, he could do this

The sound of rushing water greeted his ears, and he forced hi Ruined skin pulled taut Mutilated , flashing several feet when he could Mist soon saturated the air

There were two rivers The River of Life and the River of Death Everyone who entered the gates had a choice Life or Death Blessing or Cursing One soothed with a cool breeze, the other s wind One was clear and pure, the other dark and murky There were those who had actually chosen death, deciding to sever their connection to the Most High Willingly falling, wanting no part of the heavenly laws

At the edge of the River of Life, Koldo withdrew a small vial fro Can’t drop it If he tried to take more than the allotted vial, even if he spilled the contents before leaving this area and sought only to replenish, the Council would know and he would lose everything he’d already sacrificed, plus the Water--and he would never again be allowed to this point

He fit the cork in the center The moment it was secure, he placed the vial in an air pocket and breathed a sigh of relief

Now, to get the vial to Zacharel’s cloud

He couldn’t reat distances, would have to take this a little at a tie of the cloud Then, he flashed to the next cloud over, then the next, hopping along, getting closer and closer to Zacharel’s

No, he realized a short while later He wasn’t He was going in circles around Clerici’s teaze led him Frustration joined a cornucopia of other emotions

He pictured Zacharel’s cloud I can do this Flashed--

And appeared in theto anchor hi at him, and oh, did that hurt If he landed at this speed, he would burst into too ether