11 THE ABYSS

Josh suddenly notices red veins on his arms. They spread from his hand towards his body and head. He is trapped in an endless maelstrom of bliss and deep sorrow. The next second a rotten and bony hand closes around his leg and pulls him down. Aelyrea has managed to drag him into the vortex of despair. During the seemingly endless fall, Josh learns from Aelyrea that he himself was the carrier of the virus that infected the humans. Because of a blood curse that was
pronounced on one of his ancestors, he was chosen as the carrier who should infect the world. At the first meeting
in the cave (The Cave, 1st part of Dispyria "A dream therapy") Aelyrea managed to infect him unnoticed. When he now entered her kingdom physically, the disease could also break out with him. Josh's deep desire to save all humans is stronger than his fears and so he finally sacrifices himself. Together with Aelyrea he lets himself fall further and further into the bottomless abyss.

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