Wos Chapter 5

"Hmm... They're here... Malkuthe." said Saffyre slyly, sensing the sudden increase of energy around the dome of roiling black clouds. Distantly, she could hear the baying of Raducan, signaling that the others had indeed arrived.

She beamed, and Malkuthe purred as an idea crossed her mind. It should keep the fools off of her mind for the moment.

She drew deeply on her power and the entire labyrinth vanished in a plume of mist that swept in billowing waves across the cavern. It effectively caused the lake of molten rock to solidify.

Above ground, Saffyre appeared before the many that had gathered. "Well, well, Jade, it seems you brought some companions." she said with contempt. It wasn't necessary to antagonize the Ceree, but they already thought she was evil beyond a doubt.

Malkuthe appeared beside her, in the form of a True Agador and roared with a ferocity that shook the dome of black clouds. He roared again, but this time with a pain that was indescribable as Saffyre drew on the magic of the Agador through him.

It began to rain thick black drops upon the gathered Ceree. They hit and erupted with a hiss upon the skin. Many roared in pain, but the other chieftains that had gathered did not so much as flinch. She admired their resilience.

With a single gesture, mile high marble walls erupted from the ground and sealed the unfortunate Ceree inside. With a rumble, other walls branched out from those that had already risen, concealing the entire landscape of Malleithen in pallid mile-high walls with an enchantment against flying.

With a peal of laughter that thundered across the now sunlit continent, Saffyre announced "Those who were rained upon by the black rain will now battle it out in the Labyrinth of Sarhan. Try to find your way to the labyrinth's heart, but along the way, kill anyone whom you meet. If you do not, you will become Agador. If you kill them, they would become Agador. Fare well in my challenge!"

With that, she vanished into the heart of the labyrinth, along with Malkuthe and Radu, the younger Agador. She smirked, if anyone survived, she had a last line of defense.

---

Jade had fought against the pain as it erupted across her skin, knowing that giving in would give Saffyre more power over her. She had almost jumped when a marble wall exploded from out of nowhere and distanced her from Erithe.

She barely evaded the next one that rose, it split her from Radu's small group. She now stood alone and afraid, staring into the depths of the labyrinth.

She shuddered as Saffyre made her announcement. She prayed fervently to not come across her friends, but if ever she did, she would do anything to stay alive.

---

Erithe was stunned and sat there, without doing anything. A Ceree came around the corner just as Saffyre made her announcement. She looked Erithe in the eyes and Erithe did the same. Erithe shuddered.

The Ceree looked at her with tear-filled eyes that radiated fear and a determination to live. Within moments, she felt the tell-tale tug of a killing spell on her mind. Without further ado, she severed the magic and attacked with her own.

The Ceree stood there, stunned and bound with the air around her. Nothing but her eyes could move and they bulged.

After much debate, Erithe surrounded the opponent's consciousness with magic and crushed it. All of a sudden, Saffyre's face appeared before her. "Very good, Erithe, now go along, before this fellow completes her transformation."

With those words, the dead body began to writhe as though in agony. A red goo spread across the carcass and that was enough to make Erithe run.

Liara howled with rage as a wall erupted from the ground, separating her from Radu and the others. 'Radu!'
She shivered at Saffyre's announcement. A low growling from behind her made Liara start, and she leapt out of the way, as a ceree unknown to her attacked.
'What are you doing? Don't cave in to Saffyre's taunts and lies! We pose no threat at all if we submit to tearing each other apart, from within our own ranks!' Moving back, Liara gathered a wave of light in front of her, her attacker still advancing. 'I'm warning you! Don't...make...me...do this!' She had no choice but to set loose the pulse of white, as the ceree refused to back down, and it erupted around their form, tossing them into the air before smashing down their limp body against the ground. Panting with shock at what she had just done, Liara stepped away.
I hope Radu and the others are ok... There was a sickening crunch behind Liara, and the fur on the back of her neck stood up on end. Her back foot collided with something hard, a dizzying, crushing sense of power taking hold of her senses.
Please no... Liara whipped around, coming face to face with a terrifying, black armoured beast. It gave something that looked like a small smile, a wisp of smoke escaping from its jaws, crackling with magic.
'Ag...dor...' Liara stuttered, eyes widening.
'We are not 'agdor',' it replied. 'We are Maetesk.' The - he - peered at Liara curiously. 'We wandered in here after the black rain fell on your kind, to find the reason. Then these walls appeared...what are you, adgor?'
'No, ceree...' She was scared, knowing she could not defeat it, but stood firm. 'If you're going to kill me, get it over and done with already!'
Maetesk cocked his head on one side. 'Kill you? We have no intention of killing you. We see you have power beneath ours, but you still act strong. We find you interesting...' Maetesk trailed off, looking towards the centre of the maze. 'We wish to accompany you.' Liara breathed out a sigh of relief, staying close to the strange figure. It certainly seemed a blessing, given the circumstances, as she wasn't sure she could stay alive by herself.
'We...I,' she paused, correcting herself. 'Would love you to.' Liara followed as Maetesk began to walk through the mazes' winding passages.
'Love? What that is, we do not know, but we assume it means yes...' He stopped briefly before continuing on.

Radu roared as he was seperated from Liara "LIARA!!" he roared, talons scratching at the marble. But suddenly a growl interupted his thoughts... A red ceree, a good deal larger and stronger than radu growled. Radu glared at him, figuring even if he didn't kill this ceree his magic markings would protect him from becoming an agador. Radu suddenly took his rage form. He became feral looking, growing to the size of malkuthe's agador form. He growled showing deadly fangs, the other ceree backed up a bit now thinking this was a bad idea. Radu's eyes glowed red and he roared charging at the other ceree. He head butted the ceree throwing it against a wall and charged onward.

He sped through the marble hallways at highspeed only thinking about finding liara

Seraph arrived at the lake at dusk. He was greeted warmly by the people and the elders. They all greeted in unison " Welcome back Cheiftain!" Seraph smiled at the greeting. " Thank You, my people. Now please, return to your homes and celebrate dinner with your family. Elders, we must have a meeting in two hours." After a hearty meal, Seraph and the elders started the meeting.


" Elders, I have found in the library in the Yedruun Forest that the Great Ancestors came from Aznala and landed in in Malleithen. They have created the Gelendrian Bloom and the bloom was used to defeat the Dark One and of course, our tribe was the one who sealed the Dark One. If we are to defeat the Dark One again, we must remake the bloom. I suspect that the answer may be in Aznala, the first home of the Great ancestors. If my hunch is correct, we may be able to go to Aznala through Malleithen."


One of the elders spoke up. " Chieftain, your guess might be correct, as the Ancestors arrived in Malleithen, but we have sensed that Malleithen is inaccesible at the moment. Also, the gate of worlds is in the frozen north. The gate may lead to your destination, Aznala."

"Very well then elders, I shall check the Gate of Worlds. But first I must prepare for I might as well die in the frozen north. Meeting adjourned. Goodnight elders."


Seraph went to his room and thought of what he just said. I shall check the Gate of Worlds. But first I must prepare for I might as well die in the frozen north. " What was I thinking? I'll surely die in the north. But I made a promise to the elders, so I shall keep that promise." With that thought in mind, Seraph went to sleep.

There was a low growling, and three newly turned adgor hurtled around the corner. Liara shuddered, stepping back, as one of them decided to attack her, the others going for Maetesk.
He might frighten ceree, but these adgor are mindless... she thought.
Liara braced herself for the invitable. Building up a ring of magic around her, she waited for her enemy to draw close enough. Nearby, Maetesk just turned to stare at her, a look of mild interest on his face.
'What are you doing?!' she hissed. 'There's two coming your way, hurry up and - ' Liara's mouth dropped open, the agdor duo disintegrating into dust as their talons hit Maetesk's armour. 'That's not possi -'
She was cut off again, this time by the adgor she'd forgotten about. It lashed out with one arm, throwing her against a wall, where she collapsed in a heap, head spinning.
I can't concentrate through this pain...can't...can't focus my magic she thought.
'Help me!' Liara screamed, as the agdor loomed above her, its jaws coming closer.
'We ask why.'
'What?!' She could feel panic seizing a hold of her. 'You said -'
'- We said we would accompany you. We did not say we would fight for you.' Liara gave a weak laugh, closing her eyes as she waited for the inevitable. Soon, the agdor's teeth would rip into her throat. There was an awkward moment of silence, then



...nothing. Liara dared to open one eye, and could see nothing but towering black.
'Am I dead?' she whispered.
'We think not,' Maetesk replied, bending his great neck to peer at her.
'But I thought you said you wouldn't help.' Liara stuttered, as she saw the pile of dust and burnt bone at his feet.
'We never told you that,' Maetesk replied, as Liara got up. 'We only said we never promised to help, and you are much better company than these living dead you name 'adgor' '. The pair continued on their way through the maze, Liara still a little shaky.

(moved)