The void was black and unfeeling. Not cold, nor heat, reached him. His mind was likewise; everything was numb. 

"What have I done?" he uttered. Tears streaked his face. "How could I hav- how could WE have been so blind?" 

Some white fog stirred suddenly in the darkness, swirling around him. A chuckle reverberated from far off, and then right next to him - before retreating to a distance of miles. Mundhir sighed, as one would do were they facing the inevitable. 

"Do not fret, my son," the voice said, pausing to release another unworldly cackle. "You did admirably." 

As if conjured by the Prince's mind, the hulking armoured giant of Ebli Khan slowly materialised in front of him. Mundhir trembled at the sight, though not out of fear, but repulsion.

"You are not Ebli Khan," he said.

Ebli let forth a rupturing orchestra of laughs. As if many mouths occupied his one. "Oh, oh, but my son," he roared, "you doubt me even now?" 

"What are you?" 

"Ebli Khan, son of Eblan Khan of the World Breakers Clan, of course," Ebli replied, taking on solid form. 

Overlapping plates of ornate steel mounted the giant like an exoskeleton. His helm was of a terrible design, fashioned in the form of a screeching hawk. The red of his banner fluttered in a wind that drew no breeze. 

Mundhir stood to his feet, feeling weightless and full of vigour - though lacking will. "Show me your face." 

Ebli sighed, but then shrugged. "Of course, my son. Of course." 

The helmet was not removed, but rather, it simply ceased to exist. The face that greeted the Prince was a soulless one; red eyes, and fangs, gazed at him menacingly. 

Mundhir shook his head in disgust, "was you always this way?" 

Ebli nodded, "yes, my son."

"I am no son of yours, demon spawn," shot back Mundhir, growing angry despite the impossibility of his situation. 

The giant laughed once more, clutching his sides in some terrible amusement. "Wrong! Wrong, little Princleing, so ignorant you are! I knew your mother well." 

"THAT IS A LIE!" Mundhir shouted, and he ran forwards to tackle Ebli, but the hulking mass of steel vanished suddenly, only to reappear on his right. 

"No lie, my son," Ebli chuckled. His evil smile growing wild. "It was wrong of your grandfather to break the line of succession; he disrupted my plans. My mistress's plans."

Mundhir scoffed, half in disbelief, half in rage. "You mean to tell me Duranar is a lie too?" he spat, rounding on Ebli for another assault. 

"A half lie, my son," Ebli grinned. "He was a [i]good[/i] God, always banging on about unity and peace; it was easy to twist his words into weapons of war." 

"What do you mean?" Mundhir asked, waiting for the giant to drop his guard long enough for him to pounce. 

"North Olcra came to Eulona believing they were bringing Duranar's love to savages; in truth, they were just slaughtering his many, many children." Ebli stopped to stroke the pale, bare flesh of his chin. "He is dead, my son, he died the death of a weakling; despite his power, he was felled by lesser beings." 

Mundhir's eyes widened. Surely this was all lies? An attempt to trick him into despair? He recalled his dreams however, and with dread realisation, remembered that Duranar's and Ebli's voices were one in the same. He had been tricked, like so many others it seemed. 

"He was unwilling to take the world as his own, my son, and so others took it for him; they killed him, stole his power, and now he is no more," Ebli explained, taking great pride in his words. "He would not interfere with the mortal realm, and so it was oh so very easy to twist his given beliefs into tools of war. Yes. Very easy." 

"Enough," Mundhir sneered, "fight me, let this nightmare end." 

Ebli grinned even wider. "Yes, my son, yes! Embrace the anger, and the doom." 

"The only thing I will embrace, is your neck as I snap it demon, now fight me," Mundhir pressed, advancing on the giant with no weapon, and no prospect of victory.

"Soon, my son, soon," Ebli grinned. "My mistress had deemed you Her Chosen, since before I even walked this earth. Her power is infinite, you see, and her will cannot be denied." 

As Mundhir lost his patience, and gained his courage, he ran at the giant once more. 

A blinding light seared his eyes, and he stumbled backwards; Ebli cursed, a thunderclap shook the void.