| Shadows: Conclusion
A second later, Kham appeared. His hair was mussed and his armor scorched.
“What happened to you?” asked Vlad.
“Emric wasn’t Emric. Let’s just leave it at that. You?”
“Quelch is dead.” Vlad checked Beldin’s wounds. He would live. “Beldin is barely alive.” He nodded at the other sacrifices. “And they’re all dead.”
The portal continued to pulse behind them.
“So do we just jump in it?”
Kham shook his head. “I’m the key, remember? I’m the only one who can reverse it.”
Vlad helped Beldin to his feet. Kham walked past them to the portal.
Kham took out Coomb’s knife and, palm up, slashed his open hand. He dripped the blood in a rough pattern of the Yellow Sign.
The gate was activated. A high keening came through the portal, loud and constant, and as it sounded the white light became blue.
“Now we can enter Carcosa.” He turned back to look at his companions. “If you don’t want to do this, I understand. I don’t know if Sebastian’s even alive. Or what Carcosa looks like once we’re through.”
Beldin winced. The healing potions could only do so much. “I haven’t come this far only to stop now,” he said.
“Me neither,” said Vlad. “Sebastian sacrificed himself to save us. We owe him one.”
Kham nodded. “This time, I’m going through FIRST.” And with that he jumped through the portal. | 
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