My feet skidded against the slick ground as I came to a stop. Bodies were everywhere, I hastily began checking people over. The worst were unconscious, some of them were even shakily getting to their feet. I helped Leukos back to his feet, wincing from my own wounds. Then I saw him, the only corpse on the ground. Vyrse's head was barely recognizable, but there he laid; a crumpled husk. My mind tried to reconcile the image, then it turned back to the only thing I had met down here. It was standing some distance away, grinning at us, again shaped like a genderless winged creature; but I knew the truth. I charged.
It stopped my first blow easily, still smiling down at me.
“Apparently you still have plenty of energy. Please, let me make this easy for you.” I saw the strike coming and shrunk my body down to avoid it; then almost as quickly I let muscle ripple through my free arm and sent that crashing down on my opponent's exposed arm. I felt bone crumble. It pulled away from me; favoring it's now limp arm. It's body shifted again, the arm vanishing along with the other limbs, left only with a serpentine body it moved to constrict me. I shifted, then it did. I was soon lost in a flurry of flesh, fur, feather and scale; reacting purely on instinct to stay a step ahead of my opponent.
As the others came towards me, I stood triumphant; the creature's form, now serpentine, was crushed under my heel. It had stopped moving a long time ago. I turned to the group, emotionally scarred, physically exhausted, and bodily wounded. The cold ground would do nothing good to us.
“I think it's time we talked to our host.” I said, motioning for the others to follow as I returned to the gaping hole I had been shown earlier.
I slowly lowered myself down, but was surprised when my feet seemed to touch the ground several feet above the black skin below. The others watched on from above as I wandered the edges of the pit.
“Neko Persia. Genetic Goddess. Why have you and yours assaulted my home?” I looked around to try and find the source of the voice.
“Why did you trap us here, then try to kill us?” I finally answered back to the air.
“You attacked my doorman. The automatic defenses were triggered.”
“Is that why you killed Vyrse? Is that justified?”
“Above lay my protectors bodies, work that has been in progress since this planet's conception, all undone and laid to waste. So here you stand. What is it you came here for?”
“We just want out of this place.”
“I might be able to arrange something. For a price. My allies have been decimated, destroyed, and while you have lost two as well, that is not nearly enough...”
“Two?”
“Yes, my doorman defeated your champion, moments later he was killed by the girl Syndil.” I knelt to the invisible ground. “Come, sit. We have much to discuss.” A triangular table filled the pit, and with a pulse of energy the others were dragged down to seats. At one end an enshrouded figure seemed to sit. I found myself placed in a chair as well.
“Is Syndil alright?” I asked, swallowing my grief.
“Yes, the upper floors are mostly cleared of danger now, thanks to your lot.” The voice seemed to come from the figure now. The others were uncannily quiet.
“What about Pah?”
“The Temperature Goddess? She is still a few floors up, she is also fine.”
“What price would it take to let us go? Safely.”
“Your powers.”
“What!” I tried to stand, but couldn't find the strength to.
“My home is left without protection. The only thing you have that is equatable to my own losses is the gifts bestowed upon you.”
“But that would kill us.”
“That is a falsehood. The method I use to extract these gifts leaves the host very much alive. As well I could restore the damages done to your bodies at that point, perhaps even restore your lost companion's lives. Or more.”
“But that would be...”
“That would be fulfilling a prophecy a long time coming. When the energies of creation return to one place, life will begin anew. I merely wish to bring about a peaceful existence.” My mind was fogging over slowly. I groggily looked over at Thorium, seated to my right. He seemed perfectly fine, then for a moment I saw dark ropes, binding and gagging him. I blinked a few times until I could see the ropes again, then tried to get up to free him. My own hands were tied as well.
“Come now, I will get what I want whether you cooperate or not. Don't make me have to repeat the sins of my past.” I felt the bonds encircling my face as I struggled to break free, but I had fought too hard, for too long. With a final pull I was forced back into the chair. The figure began moving slowly around us, then a blazing light and heat appeared from above.
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