The place was as dark and foreboding as before, although seemed a little cheerier with company other than Semari. Skotadi seemed positively delighted and would probably be skipping if she weren’t primarily supported by tendrils of darkness that writhed about her legs. Kita led the way, although she continually glanced back at Janaxia for reassurance, stepping gingerly down the steps, clearly fearful of traps or wards.

With the larger numbers, it took them longer to progress, but how time here related to the real world, Janaxia couldn’t tell. As they neared the bottom, Skotadi pushed ahead, her skirts fluttering to preserve her modesty. Amongst the dark curls of her hair Janaxia could see small stubs, catching what little light there was. Had she acquired some cosmetic horns for herself? Something of a compliment, although she would have to take care lest she be taken for some form of demon-kin. Janaxia tossed her hair self-consciously, noting that her own horns were not only larger, but more impressively curved. The girl clearly had some growing to do!

They progressed onwards, the walls covered with the same gleaming rock she remembered, showing her in scattered and infinite reflections, her form looking inky-black, picked out with bright gems. Sen’s scales seemed even more prominent, her fangs dripping with venom, while Kita was a barely-visible shape. And Skotadi… She was nothing more than a pale sliver of a face amongst a writhing cloud of shadows, a humanoid shape just barely visible amongst the shadows. The girl really was something unusual, she must be from some ancient and sorcerous bloodline.

At the bottom of the stairs, the space opened up, Kita still stepping slowly, tensing with every step, fearful of traps or wards. The cavernous space loomed around them, stretching further than she could see, pillars reaching far above them. Kita hunched her shoulders, before speaking to Janaxia, overcoming her fear.

‘This place feels like some of Mother’s experiments with the blade. Old and dark, tangled with ancient power.’ She looked surprised, then felt her face, waving a hand in front of her eye before a look of relief covered her face. ‘The binding! It’s gone.’

Skotadi swooped in, her own shape warped by the shadows she had conjured, and the relief washed from Kita’s face as swiftly as it had come.

If there is more you wish to say, then please, share your knowledge. Whatever strange effect had amplified her mental voice, and silenced Semari, no longer seemed to be in effect – had the magic changed? Or had their previous travel here been under unusual circumstances?

When Skotadi spoke, her voice seemed to echo through the space, muted resonances sounding back at them, mimicking her words, but somehow in a variety of voices. She gave a happy wriggle of her shoulders, looking enervated, almost eager, hands clenching into fists. ‘This is a place of power, a weakness between the worlds. Locked beneath the great seal of crystal, unconquered by the Blade, but now I have entered!’ She snickered before looming over Kita, her shadows pulling her higher up, despite her personal lack of height. ‘Such a clever little spike pushed into you, to bind your will and keep your tongue locked. But that is gone now.’

Janaxia nodded with sudden understanding. ‘Ah, I assume Mother had placed you under a binding? Well, you are somewhat weak-willed and easily persuaded. I trust that you will be discreet? Although Mother appears to have neglected to give me any guidance as to what the wider family plans are. Something to do with that ugly-looking blade she is experimenting on?’

Kita spoke slowly, still stroking her face occasionally, as though expecting the eye-sigil to flare into life to bind her tongue, her relief clear even over her fear of Skotadi. ‘Conquest! Conquest and rule. She wishes to bind all to her will, using ancient magic. But you must know this – why else were you in Cormontara? Shards of the blade have power, to control and bind.’ She shivered again. ‘It hurts going in, icy-cold into the eye. Did she not bind you also?’

A memory stirred in her mind, of the magical chamber, and the blade, bound about with magic, the stranger’s eyes boring into her own as a needle, black and cruel moved forward towards her powerless and immobile body. ‘I… believe so?’ Had that happened? It seemed vague and dreamlike, closer to a nightmare than a memory. And she didn’t seem to be bound, or at least hadn’t yet encountered any circumstances that would cause it to take effect. Skotadi twisted in mid-air, her neck seeming to twist around further than should be possible, moving closer to Janaxia. A tendril of shadow brushed against her hand, like a ripple in the water.

‘Oh, you are far too powerful and grand to be bound by such a petty thing!’ She snickered again. ‘But you should let the little one speak. She may yet be a useful pawn for us.’

‘Yes, continue, Kita.’

The use of her new name, combined with her sudden sense of independence got a flickering look of bitterness, hidden beneath an equally swift acquiescence. Well, say one thing for her, at least she was swift to submit without any unseemly protests!

‘I didn’t want to fight you! Mother forced me to.’

That was likely a lie – had the situation been reversed, Janaxia would have gladly taken the chance to try and dispose of a rival. But it seemed best to humour her, for now.

‘So the blade is truly the Blade of the Black Triad? Would it not be better wielded in battle than used for such arcane purposes? Kinnevar used it most effectively and he was potent enough to raise an empire. Although none of us are skilled in melee combat. Or have his presence or power.’

‘It is more than just a magical blade! Mother thinks that it, and the Book and Bell, are alive and aware, that they are demon-kin in some way. This is why she seeks them, to call up the armies of the Black Triad, at her whim and her command. And the shards of the Blade carry their own power – even though she has to keep the thing contained, she and Trakatha managed to work out a way of splintering shards off it. These can be used to control people, or to create undead more powerful than usual. Did you not notice the lack of ghosts? They were devoured by it, their energies absorbed and consumed.’

‘Even Uncle Berakat?’

Kita nodded.

‘Well, at least the thing did some good then. He was overly prying and forever unable to observe personal boundaries, loathsome wretch. And so these spikes, these shards, then, they can be thrust into someone, where they presumably merge with their spirit? Inducing them to a certain spiritual weakness, which no doubt spells can be used to take advantage of?’

Finally being able to talk without fear of punishment seemed to have loosened Kita’s tongue significantly, as she flapped her hands about, making frenzied gesticulations. ‘A weakening, a corruption! There are demons in some void somewhere, she wants to call them through into host bodies, slaves to her will.’ She looked up, tears glistening somewhat melodramatically in her eyes. ‘If I had failed her, then she was going to use me as an experiment.’

‘Hmmm, well, it is fortunate for you that I took mercy on you, then. And so then, the Dragon’s Eye? What of that? Or this place generally?’

Skotadi spoke, her voice hissing and sibilant, making Sen draw close to Janaxia in sudden consternation. ‘Yes, little one, what of the Eye? What does your mother know of such things, or of the truth of the crystal towers?’

Kita’s fresh confidence was already draining, as she glanced down and away. ‘I… I do not know. I overheard Mother taking to the stranger, that this place shall be needed in the upcoming war, that the Crystal Princes have grown weak and lazy, and that an ancient power is locked away beneath the city. I assumed it to be a demon or dragon.’

‘Oh, not just a demon. This is one of the great seals, used to bind the worlds away from each other. To keep the demons sealed amidst the ash and ruin of the old world, although it served to also keep those few meddling fools of the light bound away.’

‘You appear quite well-versed in ancient lore, Skotadi. How did you come by such knowledge?’

She giggled, the echoes sounding unnerving and discordant. ‘Much is whispered in the darkness! But you should move with haste, Darkbinder.’ Her words roiled and echoed around the space. ‘Your deception has been discovered already, and time grows short.’ She raised a hand for silence, and they could hear the distant jangling of armour, the sounds of feet on stone.

‘Well observed. Yes, we should move with haste.’ Janaxia dismounted from the platform, Sen following. ‘Now, if memory serves, we need to go this way.’ They started to move, walking briskly, Janaxia now probing each step herself, hoping that a flagstone wouldn’t suddenly reveal itself as the trigger mechanism of some device or trap. Only Skotadi seemed not to care, although her shadow-limbs spread her weight more, and she was only a child, not yet fully capable of assessing risk.

They came to the vault Janaxia remembered, thick metal bars blocking their entrance, piles of gold on the other side, along with neatly racked-up suits of enchanted armour and other items of war. And, in the centre, atop a pedestal, was a fist-sized rock, with two metal bands woven about it, one of heavy iron, the other a light thing of cunningly woven silver.

Janaxia tapped the metal bars and then promptly stood back, as they erupted into razor-sharp thorns, which only slowly started fading and melting away back into the metal. This is when someone with actual knowledge of lockpicking would have been useful! She shot an experimental blast at the lock, but, although ripples of darkness flashed over the metal, it didn’t have any other effect, nor seem likely to break it.

‘Darkbinder, may this humble one try?’

Sen stepped forward and reached into her hair, pulling out some pins, stray locks falling from the careful construction. As she wriggled them in the keyhole, metal grated and groaned as though in protest, not going silent even when the mechanism clicked open. When Sen tried to make it open, more barbed spines shaped themselves from the metal, and she was barely able to move her hand away in time to save herself a skewering. Attacking a thorned bar with a blast didn’t seem to achieve anything, so what was she meant to do?

‘Skotadi, you seem to know much of ancient magic? Is there anything you can do?’

‘The spell simply seeks blood. And of that, I have much to spare.’ She thrust a hand forward, bright crimson liquid somehow welling up on her palm, a heavy, iron-tinged scent in the air. Then she tilted her hand so that the stuff flowed over the metal, spattering it with gore. But only for a few moments – soon after, it was absorbed, the crimson vanishing, metal reverting to its previous glow. But a line, of red and black, was starting to form, flowing within the metal, getting more and more vivid.

Janaxia kept an eye on Skotadi – while blood sacrifice was a common component of certain magical styles, it was one that was easy to overdo, and the girl would be inconvenient to carry should she pass out. But the blood continued to well up in her cupped palm and keep flowing without interruption, until the line was thick and solid. As though drowsy now they had food to digest, the spikes and spines withdrew, the lock now having sufficient space to open.

‘It should be assuaged for long enough.’ Skotadi swept into the vault herself, managing an impressive swish of her gown, even if the skirts did raise up a cloud of dust. She reached out and touched a sword that had been propped up against the wall, the blade bearing an enchanted-looking sheen. The glow rapidly faded, before the sword itself started to disintegrate into a loose haze of dust and metal particles, the gemstones from the hilt falling to the floor. Items must have been left here for a very long time indeed to lose their enchantment in such a way!

‘Treasures of old, sealed away!’ Skotadi looked like a child in a sweetshop, almost skipping forward in delight. ‘Although you could have sacrificed either of the others. I think that one – even though she may be your blood, she is far inferior.’

Kita shivered but didn’t respond, as Janaxia advanced, hoping that the metal was sated, trying to keep from touching it, in case it animated itself in some way again. She moved towards the orb – the size of a fist, glinting with a pearlescent light, the twin bands covered with intricate runework. They seemed to be embedded flush with the surface, without any sign of rivets or any other unwieldy merging, likely grafted on with magic.

She carefully touched it with a hand, ready to jump backwards in case some warding activated. It was warm to the touch and slightly bumped, not perfectly smooth. Where she touched it, a slender line of darkness flowed into the pearl, mingling with the creamy whiteness like ink mixing into cream.

‘Kita, do you know what this item is? I am not familiar with it.’

Kita looked at Skotadi, then slowly shook her head. ‘Beyond that it is ancient, I don’t know.’

There was a tinkle of gold, as Sen reached into a pile of gold and pulled out a dagger, the blade a wavey shape of dark metal, a dark green gem glinting on the pommel, then looked at Janaxia. She nodded in approval – while she was a fine handmaiden, and, judging by her new position, lover, it would be helpful if she were to be armed.

Feeling more confident that it wasn’t trapped, Janaxia lifted the orb. It was heavier than it looked, taking both hands to comfortably lift, the text on the bands shifting slightly and drawing her eye – Ancient power of broken night, sealed by brightest day. Tapping a finger against it had no effect beyond another thin line of darkness appearing amidst the nacreous white, before fading into the backing colours.

‘Well, that was easier than expected. Now, if we take a circuitous route back to the stairs, then we may evade whoever else is down here, and hopefully make our escape.’

‘If our presence has been detected, would it not be likely that guards have been posted? Although you are potent, such a fight may be beyond even your power, Darkbinder.’ Sen licked her blade, envenoming the weapon.

The only alternative was to travel through the strange other world, and she was rather hazy about the details of how to get there. Perhaps if they explored long enough, they might be able to find another exit? Although they didn’t have any supplies or equipment, nor the speed to make a swift reconnoitring of the place.

‘A direct approach may be the best. Is it what Kinnevar would do, after all.’ It wasn’t what she wanted, but there seemed little else for it. And she could scarcely ask for suggestions without appearing weak! She had never before appreciated quite how hard leadership could be.

‘Yes, claim their souls! Harvest them for yourself. After all, you are attired in a most regal fashion – you should proclaim yourself the queen of darkness, Darkbinder, and claim this place as your capital. And I can rule with you.’ Skotadi rummaged amongst the treasure, a ring crumbling to dust in her hands, a mote of magical power shimmering as it flew towards her, getting absorbed into her skin.

‘That seems a little excessive, Skotadi. We should concentrate on getting out first, and then see where we are. Fighting an entire city would be rather beyond me, if nothing else.’

The cool air suddenly seemed hot and close, a light appearing some distance away in the darkness, getting brighter and brighter. A weight threw itself against her, sending her to the ground as Sen tackled her down just before a blast hit. It was scorching hot, passing bare inches above her head, the metal screeching in pain, flaring white hot before starting to melt, molten metal flowing downwards and mingling with suddenly-melted gold.

Skotadi looked down from the ceiling, using her shadow-tendrils to anchor herself in place, hair dangling downwards. Bright after-images from the light burst in her vision, making Skotadi appear in triplicate, her form vague and hazy.

Janaxia grabbed at Sen’s hand and pulled her up, darting through the remnants of the metal bars as they melted around her, a gobbet of liquid metal falling and striking Sen on the shoulder, burning through her clothing and making her wince and groan in pain. Janaxia gestured at it with magic, knocking it away, wincing as she saw the raw-burned skin and cloth. Sen took a deep breath before managing a shaky smile back.

Very good, Sen. ‘I believe a hasty retreat would be best. Kita, unless you wish to be left behind, speed would be wise.’ The imminent threat to life had shaken her out of her usual stupor, and she moved with impressive alacrity, darting through and covering her head with her hands as she did so, embers and motes of metal burning into her robes. Even Skotadi moved with a trace of urgency, shadows flickering around her to shield herself against the metal.

In the distance, another bright star of light was visible, likely another attack approaching. It gave a good measure of the immensity of the vaults, that someone, or something, could attack from so far away – although at least in this case, it gave some chance to escape. Janaxia pulled at Sen, heading away, hoping to get out of the line of the attack, trying to keep track of the others. How did Stathis manage it, especially in the heat of battle?

The beam somehow managed to swerve, smashing through a pillar and breaking it, rubble pouring down from above. It slammed into the wall, sending out a massive backwash of heat, prickling Janaxia’s skin. Rubble and debris flicked against her skin, stinging her eyes and making her cough as she started to run, not attempting stealth, simply moving as fast as she could.

‘Accursed witch of darkness! Today you perish!’ Carissia’s voice sounded, bright and clear through the darkness, cutting through the whispering echoes as smaller darts of fire flicked out towards them, smashing into the walls with more explosions of debris. Janaxia heard the stinging thrum of a bow, an arrow clattering against the floor, barely missing her. The ceiling rumbled and shook as another pillar collapsed, heavy stone falling to the floor and revealing a strange, silver-glistening surface, strangely dappled sunlight coming through.

Janaxia gestured behind herself, flinging bolts at random, more of the ceiling coming down. If the entire place was a magical sanctum, then who knew what sufficient damage could do? Being cast adrift on the astral plane might be less stressful than being attacked, but could be literally an eternity of nothingness, hoping to find some method of escape.

A shadowy tendril lashed out, flicking away a head-sized rock that had been falling towards her, Skotadi still scuttling along, buoyed up by her shadows, her hair suddenly wild and crazed.

‘Surrender yourself, witch, and I shall grant you a clean death!’ Carissia was now in sight, hovering above the ground, wreathed in flames, fire sparking in her eyes. Another arrow flashed through the air from behind her, Janaxia too slow to dodge and the thing embedding itself into her shoulder, her magical shield only barely slowing the impact. Pain started to overwhelm her, before she took a deep breath and managed to focus, glad of Sen’s close presence. It made sense for her to be targeted, as the most powerful person present, but she would rather Kita be shot instead!

She ran through a vaulted chamber, this one at least with an internal wall, sparing them from further attacks for a few moments, slowing slightly to get Kita catch up. A silvery shimmer appeared in the air, with Parth and Hakara stepping out. Janaxia gestured, a thick cloud of darkness flashing into being around them, hopefully blocking their vision.

The ground beneath them started to rumble, shaking and twisting. Was it an earthquake? The internal wall started to melt, transforming into magma and melting deep into the ground, more of the silvery radiance spilling from beneath them.

A warm and golden light started to shine in front of her, radiant wings appearing, followed by the rest of an armoured figure. It braced itself just in time to take an impact, a beam of fire splitting apart and burning tiny pockmarks into the walls. The shape turned to look at her, Janaxia’s eyes watering, impossible to see properly through the tears, as the wall finally gave way completely, giving the hovering Carissia a clear shot…