The cathedral of knowledge was even more imposing on the inside than on the outside. It was not the usual cathedral interior one might expect, but rather the biggest library of Etherium. All the original manuscripts of the accomplishments from the legendary silent watchers of the past millennia. Everything was collected in the countless bookshelves reaching all the way to the ceiling in 50 meters height. All one can see when entering the cathedral were books, books and more books. Dross and Raja were wandering through this labyrinth of success, trying to find the central altar room. Dross' eyes were wandering through the shelves telling the story of Etherium's most successful relic hunters and historians. So many secrets were collected and archived here after they have been processed into the knowledge pool, Terminus very own digital library containing all this knowledge multiplied by an unknown number. And if this day today proved successful, he might even gain access to that library as one of the very few chosen of Terminus. With a questioning glance, Dross turned around to Raja, who was mesmerized by this aura of knowledge:

"As it is tradition every watcher, be it big or small, has their very own shelve they start filling up from the point of joining his cause. I am interested in your works, so can you show me where it got stored that I can lose myself at a later date in it? I am dying for some good lecture."

Raja abruptly stopped in motion, digging her hands in her pockets. Dross was able to make out that she was not very eager to answer that question. He approached her, a question forming on his lips, but Raja turned her eyes away from him not ready to talk or even listen. Something was foul, that was not the reaction of someone proud of their doing. Dross was about to ask her about it, but her lack of vigour set him straight, and he pulled back his hand. Dross let out a dry cough and went along their way to the altar, slowly walking. Raja needed a minute he could feel that his fur was standing up alarmingly. With a toneless 'We will meet up in the altar room' Dross left her behind. He felt guilty for abandoning her while she was clearly upset, but Dross suspected she wanted some space and he intended to provide her with that. When the time is right, she will likely get back to that and then they can give that argument the necessary privacy. Maybe in a relaxing environment with a glass of wine. Besides, which was not that unimportant as well: Him pressing her now would likely result in a heated dispute, in these holy halls of quietness no less, and neither of them would want to suffer the dire consequences of that. 

Walking for the first time since his arrival, now completely devoid of any company, Dross felt oddly alone. Everything that happened in the last months, he was reliving again moment for moment in rapid succession. But in this moment of absolute loneliness, surrounded by the writing of Etherium's ancestors, a familiar voice rose again in his mind. Drilling itself into his cerebrum, the voice tried to get access to his eyes and ears. Dross felt the curiosity of his visitor rising after successfully claiming control over his visuals:

"The connection got stronger in this area. I feel a part of me far below us. Books? Where are we?", Dross felt the presence of Chóros slowly eating away the control over his body, his arms turned transparent again, and he felt nausea approaching, "Cathedral of Knowledge - Terminus - It hurts so much! Make it stop!"

Dross held now his head, trying to regain control over. He fell uncontrollably on his knees, then on his elbows and started whimpering pathetically. His eyes hurt like a million ants and his vision slowly turned red as he started to tear out blood from beyond his vision. He tried to scream out his pain, but his vocal cords were not his anymore:

"Dross, you know what to do, find my nephew and tell him about my whereabouts. I will reward you after regaining my freedom handsomely for this simple task. Leave my head! Why should I? And why is everything red now?",  the voice paused for a moment, "By Prius almighty tantrum, I forgot you mortals cant handle our full - I will leave instantly! - Dead are you only of use for my brother after all."

With that intermission passed, the presence of Chóros vanished and returned inside the pendant once again. At the moment Dross regained control he ripped in an uncontrollable fear the pendant from his neck and threw it to the ground. Never again! Never again he will wear this amulet when such horrible things could happen with nobody around. Without him regaining a thought to stop Chóros he would certainly lay now dead in his own blood. Spitting out vile curses Dross dragged himself to a nearby shelf to sit up and recuperate for a moment. Terminus should now give him a good reason, why this apparent part of his family needs aid. He wouldn't tell him about Chóros whereabouts until gaining enough information to even consider letting it talk again. Dross stood up on shaky legs, took the pendant and threw it in his left pocket. Taking out the journal Dross furthermore ripped out the message from Chóros sliding it into his breast pocket. Now the altar. Hopefully, Raja was able to catch herself again, as he felt currently unable to handle her at all. He walked over to the main hall carefully and slowly now ignoring everything around him. Without distractions blocking his path, Dross arrived three minutes later in the altar hall falling on the first chair that came across his way. He powered down his body, trying to process this alien encounter, but his mind was not willing to aid him. Then, not soon after Dross heard heavy boots closing in, Raja was arriving:

"Hey, Dross. Sor - Sorry for my behaviour before, you caught me off-guard, but now I am ready to answer your question . . .Dross?"

Worryingly, Raja approached Dross noticing with terror clutching up her heart the dried up blood trail leading to his chair. Dross barely looked up and tried to focus her through his bloody eyes. He gave away the look of a dying man, now much older than before and every part of his fur, not covered by his clothes appeared to Raja slightly blurred out and transparent. Bloody clots were stuck in his fur, his eyes looked terrible, just like rotten tomatoes:

"Oh, god! What the hell happened to you? Was it? -"

"The piece of Heaven, Raja. This piece, it took me over trying to act through me, hurting me in the process. I was able to avert worse, but - but . . ."

Dross collapsed and started to whine again. The dried-up wounds reopened and blood poured once again out of his eyes. Ignoring the sticky substance, Raja sat to him hugging Dross trying to comfort him. But he pushed her away, digging his head powerlessly into his paws:

"Its presence was frightening, such frightening! -"

"Whose presence, my child?"

Hearing this metallic voice Dross and Raja froze in motion cancelling every thought they just had. Dross hadn't heard this voice since he left Scamall, but he had never forgotten how it had sounded like. This deep robotic, yet canine interference demanding attention with every word spoken. This presence of concentrated power and authority. That tingling energizing feeling. There was only one being in existence, whose voice bore so much power at the same time as wisdom and compassion. Yes! It was him:

Terminus, the god of knowledge, had arrived!