As our efforts began to take their toll on Borborygmos, the magic that sustained him as a raging, charging bull broke, his energies spent. But he wasn't the only one- we all nursed heavy wounds and panted from the mental exhaustion of casting magics. The cave behind the falls which had felt cool as we had entered now felt stifling.
In the end it was with a crash that the minotaur fell, but I certainly didn't see it, lying dazed and barely alive on the floor of the cavern. Only Calliope's timely intervention saved me from travelling to Lutheria's halls.
Whilst we had dealt with Borborygmos, the others of Sydon's cult lurked deeper within the temple, including Mother Irma. She had taken the precaution of taking a hostage, or it may have come to blows between us further, but in truth, we were in no state to face three more foes today.
Braz took the betrayals from his family hard and given the curse is tied to his families' name, he has renounced his heritage and name and will carry the name Vaca no more. Whether this breaks the hold, we shall see, but it could be possible. Great power is held in names and identities.
I told him the old story of the centaur and the wishes.
An elderly centaur was sitting alone on a dark path. He wasn't certain of which direction to go, and he'd forgotten both where he was traveling to and who he was. He'd sat down for a moment to rest his weary legs and suddenly looked up to see an elderly woman before him. She grinned toothlessly and with a cackle, spoke: 'Now your *third* wish. What will it be?'"
"'Third wish?' The centaur was baffled. 'How can it be a third wish if I haven't had a first and second wish?'"
"'You've had two wishes already,' the hag said, 'but your second wish was for me to return everything to the way it was before you had made your first wish. That's why you remember nothing; because everything is the way it was before you made any wishes.' She cackled at the poor traveller. 'So it is that you have one wish left.'"
"'All right,' said the centaur, "I don't believe this, but there's no harm in wishing. I wish to know who I am.'"
"'Funny,' said the old woman as she granted his wish and disappeared forever. 'That was your first wish.'"