Seen in person, the thing was even larger than Stathis had imagined – over a hundred paces wide, dropping down into the rock below, the bottom out of sight. Niches were cut into the walls, filled with religious icons and totems, those in the light shining brightly, the rest in deep shadows. A narrow walkway, only a single person wide, wound and down, the stone steps worn and smooth for centuries of use. There was an aura of sanctity that Stathis could feel, which probably explained why Janaxia was red-faced and sweating, or that might have been from the quick-march to get here.

Semari punted a stone, the thing flicking out across the pit, without enough force to make it to the other side, disappearing downwards and out of sight.

‘So, we going down then? Just as long as I don’t get, like, shocked and zapped, like last time!’

‘I don’t think that will be an issue. Semari, you OK taking Parth down? It’ll be quicker to climb than take the steps.’ Stathis turned and scooped Janaxia up in her arms – she was running a slight fever, but would hopefully recover when deeper down – before jumping off the edge and starting to fly downwards.

Semari’s speed was slower, Parth on her back, but she was clambering downwards, grabbing hold of the platform ledges, making steady headway, as Stathis descended.

She felt suddenly colder as she passed out of the sunlight, the shadows getting darker and darker. The niches filled with holy icons seemed more worrisome now, the shapes strange to look at, half-shadowed and distorted in the light of her wings. As she descended, the shaft narrowed, the walls less obviously worked, the items she could see older and more worn.

‘You know anything about this place?’ Stathis leaned back as Janaxia tilted her head.

It is particularly ancient. Various rites are held here to celebrate the passing of the seasons and suchlike. Although I imagine they are held at the surface – it seems it would take some time to travel all the way down! Outside of the Grand Eclipse, anyway.

‘When’s the next one of those due?’

Not for several centuries, which is, given the circumstances, something of a mercy. But I don’t know what we might expect, and seeing a message in the Unreadable Script was somewhat unexpected.

‘Is there anyone else you know of that can use it? And this isn’t really stealth yet, so you can talk.’

‘Other than Skotadi, no. Although many scholars have tried, but without success.’

As they descended, the fever-heat of Janaxia’s skin faded to a more normal temperature – the sacred aura apparently was only on the surface? The shaft was narrowing more and more, now a mere dozen or so paces wide, the staircase worn so smooth it was closer to a ramp. She could hear Semari’s grunts of effort from above, getting steadily closer, her light at least letting her see. Down beneath her, something shone and glimmered, metal reflecting her own light back at herself.

‘That means the message must have been for you, then. Seems odd, as there’s easier ways of getting in touch, I would think.’

A mystery indeed. Caution would be advised – my siblings are scarcely likely to warn me, so that means a third party, and one with unexpected skills.

Stathis landed on a large bronze disc, whatever decoration it might once have borne now worn away into a smooth, featureless surface. She could see the blue sky far above her, a wide ring with a few clouds scudding across it, then a clatter as Semari let herself drop onto the staircase.

‘Not fair you get to fly! That’s, like, cheating, right? When I have to climb. And how come Janaxia’s not got wings of darkness yet? Then you could each carry us.’

While that would be useful, I am unable to manifest abilities at will! Especially not for your convenience! And capering around like that is certainly within your capabilities – my own skills are far too useful to be hampered by carrying someone. Even if I could fly, I would not lower myself to carrying others.

She wriggled her way out of Stathis’ arms, clothing rippling into darker tints, tighter now, more suited for cramped passages and combat.

Now, shall we try and discover who sent the message? As it was implicitly addressed to me, it would be rude to refuse such an invitation. She drew her wooden blade, dark energy roiling along the length, before gesturing forward. Now, I believe the that you, Semari, are a rather better scout? And do watch out for traps, I would imagine this area to be warded against miscreants.

‘Probably warded against people like you! If everything blows up, it’ll be your fault.’

‘Don’t squabble! We need to make this as quick as possible, so we can help Yeros afterwards. Just watch out in case of anything weird, or any old traps or wards. There’s probably all sorts of weird stuff stuck down here.’

‘Ancient stone, ancient power. Protection of old, old secrets, old shadows.’ Parth placed a hand on the wall, as though feeling the strength of it. ‘Bound and buried.’

‘More demons and stuff done here?’

‘Memory of a memory, ash and dust. But power, ancient and waiting.’

‘Let’s just hope that no-one else had gotten here first!’

Parth nodded, before striding forward, ducking low and peering around a corner. Semari was more active, running ahead, darting between junctions, leaving Stathis to take the rear, Janaxia walking ahead of her.

The air was cool but not uncomfortable, dim light being shed by enchanted crystals set into the walls and ceilings. They passed by several nooks, their entrances blocked by thick metal bars, paper prayer-seals attached, invocations still legible. Even Semari wasn’t foolish enough to try poking them, especially when the first one contained a fat, greasy lump, vaguely humanoid, stubby limbs held high. Two darker folds near the top might have been eyes, or might have been coincidence, but it seemed safest to leave it, either way.

They explored through several twists and junctions – it didn’t seem to have been built as a maze, but it was a criss-cross of passageways through natural faults in the bedrock, so they kept looping back on themselves, finding themselves at a junction they had already been through.

Semari walked up to Janaxia and flicked one of her horns. ‘Can’t you use these to sense things? This place is big and boring.’

Janaxia tried to flick at her with the sword, but Semari caught it and then wrenched it out of Janaxia’s hands in a single smooth motion, the dark patina vanishing from the blade.

I am not a hunting-hound to be unleashed at will!

‘She’s right though – isn’t there anything special you can detect? If it’s to do with the Unreadable Tongue, that’s right up your alley, isn’t it?’

Janaxia sighed, but closed her eyes, then took a deep breath, pressing her hands against her chest. She exhaled in a long, low puff, eyes still shut, dark-tinted eye-shadow making her eyes look like empty voids. Her head turned from side to side, horn-chains shifting as she did so.

It feels… colder… this way? Although it may be my imagination.

‘Well, that’s better than nothing.’ Stathis took hold of Janaxia’s shoulders, before taking the sword-stick back from Semari and pressing it into Janaxia’s hands. ‘Keep saying where to go, and I’ll steer and make sure you don’t walk into anything.’

She began to walk forward, Janaxia’s shoulders in her hands, following the vague instructions she was given; “left”, “sort-of-right-ish”, “straight on” when there was no passageway there and so forth. But they were at least going into new areas now, Stathis making note of which turnings they took, so they would be able to get back out again afterwards.

Things didn’t change much as they progressed, except for the cells getting larger, many of them now decent-sized caves in their own right, the walls inlaid with metallic strips inscribed with runes. If there was anything in there, Stathis couldn’t tell – maybe the occupant had faded away to nothing, or they were just invisible. One had a hulking mound of desiccated flesh in, dull and withered – it might have been alive or in stasis, or maybe it had just been left there to wither.

Another chamber had been broken into, or out of – the bars were shattered and melted, remnants twisted into stubby, blunt lumps. Parth stopped, carefully examining the debris, Stathis standing close by in case of attack. She wiped her finger through some of the debris, carefully sniffing it, before feeling the melted bars.

‘Recent.’ She tossed a small stone into the cell – it landed with a loud clatter on the other side, bouncing off the wall and then sliding down the sloped floor into the middle. Nothing stirred, and there was no sign of what had once been in there. ‘Empty.’

‘So either something broke out, and we need to watch for that, or something broke in and destroyed whatever was in there?’ Neither seemed a good option!

Parth nodded. ‘Prison of old, sealed by stone.’ She tested one of the metal bars, tugging on it – it seemed securely embedded into the floor still, aside from the part that was damaged. She rose. ‘Caution, but weakened by age?’

‘I hope so! Or already dead. Maybe it just withered away or something. Janaxia, you feel anything?’

An arm rose up, manicured finger pointing, slowly moving from side to side, before pointing further ahead.

‘OK. Let’s keep going then.’

Having Parth and Semari scout ahead, while she steered Janaxia, following the pointing finger, was a bit of an odd set-up, but they hadn’t encountered any opposition yet.

A few times, she had to steer Janaxia away from walls, pulling her back before she walked straight into a solid surface, trying to use the pointing finger to give an indication of direction, through the twisting passages. Throughout, the air was comfortably cool and fresh – there must be hidden ducts somewhere, to keep it flowing.

Semari darted back around a corner, her steps silent, her voice low when she spoke. ‘There’s some squiggles, think they’re for Janaxia.’

‘OK, let go see.’

Janaxia pulled herself out of Stathis’ grip, walking forward by herself. Around the corner was a three-way junction, all the passages looking the same. On the wall between the passageways there were more ash-black squiggles, Stathis unable to see them without her eyes watering.

‘Anything useful?’

‘It seems… strangely prosaic. And rather blunt. Begone from here, this is my protected domain. Although the “my” has connotations of mastery and ownership.’

‘Well, that means something is done here. Is it trapped?’ She looked around, trying to spot any magical wards or protective auras. Janaxia tapped it with a nail, then made an irritated sound as the black marks faded away, streaming into loose dust and getting absorbed into her skin. She flicked her finger as the last of it vanished.

‘Not that I can determine, although there may be mundane dangers. But the message indicated that this passageway in particular was their domain. Whoever they are!’ She indicated the left-most passageway.

‘Well, if it’s a trap, then I guess we’ll deal with it.’

She tried to move quietly, Parth and Semari like ghosts, even Janaxia quiet in her light clothing, making Stathis feel loud and ungainly. The air was still, every sound echoing around the narrow confines of the passageway. It was narrow, only wide enough for one person at a time, and with Janaxia in front of her, it was hard to see properly, not helped by the low, hazy light, and the occasional glimpses of the other two, as they moved in and out of sight.

Stathis watched Janaxia, trying to see if there was any trailing darkness getting drawn towards her, but the air seemed clear of any arcane oddities, and her behaviour was normal enough. As long as there wasn’t anything weird down here to mess her up!

They moved past more cells, all different shapes and sizes, the bars all broken. The internal metal bands were dull and eroded, broken and incomplete. Something had broken them, but there was no sign of anything down here. Although there could be other passages down here, made after this place was created. Or secret tunnels to make getting down here easier!

Up ahead, Parth raised a hand, Stathis and Janaxia freezing in place. Semari crept forward, moving next to Parth. A guttural roar sounded out, echoing around the small space, making Stathis’ ears ring. The two in the lead both jumped around the corner, something slamming into a wall. Stathis charged around the corner after them, finding herself in a larger chamber, raising up to a domed ceiling. In the centre, filling most of the room, was a giant figure, blue skin tinted oddly by the low light, holding an oversized club.

It swung the club, trying to sweep away both Semari and Parth. Semari jumped upwards, grabbing Parth and hauling her up as well, before they both charged forward. Bolts of dark energy shot forward from Janaxia, as Stathis charged forward. The thing dominated the room, far larger than the ways in – how had it got in here? Or had it been summoned here?

It couldn’t even move properly, the chamber not large enough to allow for proper swings of the club. Before it could attack again, Semari attacked, her fists slamming into a giant kneecap. It cracked and splinters, the creature howling in agony. It started to fall, dropping down to one knee. Parth ran up a wall, somersaulting around and jabbing one blade into a shoulder, using that to swing upwards, slashing it across the face.

Black ichor sprayed out, splashing against the walls. The club lifted up, making it easy for Stathis to charge forward herself. She couldn’t reach the head, but thrust her sword into the stomach, feeling stiff flesh yield to the blade, twisting it and then jumping aside to avoid being caught in the gushing flow of ooze.

Before she could attack again, Parth had made her way onto the creature’s shoulders. She flipped the blade in her hand, gripping hold of their head with one hand, thrusting into an eye with the blade.

It penetrated deeply, the eyeball bursting. The creature’s howl made Stathis’ head throb, the sound bouncing around the confined space. It dropped the club, dropping to all fours. A flurry of dark bolts slammed into it, blasting away skin, revealing bone beneath. It tried to rise, but couldn’t find the strength. Another slice from Parth, and it collapsed completely, skin already starting to fade into powdery ash.

Smoke and dust started to coalesce above it, twirling through the air, heading towards Janaxia. It moved slowly, as though it was uncertain, everyone else shuffling back, staying out of the pool of spreading ichor. The mist continued to waft towards Janaxia, as she looked at the blood-pool, and backed away further.

‘Huh, that was easier than I thought it would be!’ Even Semari had jumped back, not wanting to get smeared with the goop. ‘Wonder if it was weak? Or we’re just, like, that good?’

‘Wonder how long it had been here? There’s no way it could have walked here, unless it started small and then grew up?’

The stream of darkness hesitated, gingerly moving forward like it was sniffing the air. A smaller stream divided itself off, still heading towards Janaxia, but the rest retreated, streaming rapidly away into the darkness, on the far side of the body.

Stathis looked at the still-spreading pool, before sighing and walking towards it. It was thick and sticky, like cloying mud.

A cough sound was broadcast into her mind and she turned, Janaxia staring at her expectantly.

‘You can call up your throne down here!’ She turned and pressed on, the thicker goop slowing her steps, as Semari vaulted over it with a single jump. Parth was less elegant, but jumped onto the back of Janaxia’s platform as it moved forward, scudding over the top of dark fluid.

It was surprisingly deep, coming almost up to her knees, slowing her down. It was a relief to come out on the other side, able to walk without the resistance. Although it was now staining her armour, the greaves stained black.

The passageway twisted around, seemingly built around a natural fault in the rock, the floor and ceiling rough and uneven. Stathis could see the black ribbon, still twisting through the air, receding into the darkness.

With just the single passageway, it was wasn’t practical to stealth, so they just advanced forward. Janaxia was now impossible to see around, her throne blocking Stathis’ view. It wasn’t wide enough for Stathis to get around, and it was up high enough that she couldn’t reach Janaxia.

‘Mind turning that thing off? It’s kind of in the way.’ The throne accelerated, moving at a brisk pace now. ‘Janaxia?’

I appear to be, ah, somewhat out of control.

Stathis saw Semari jumping upwards over the top of it, Parth appearing from beneath, having thrown herself to the ground. It was getting faster, now moving at jogging speed, Stathis moving faster herself to keep up.

‘Can’t you dispel it?’

No!

Stathis was having to move at a jog now, although Semari was easily keeping up, Parth loping along.

They turned around a sharp corner, Stathis able to see that they were in a larger room, but Janaxia was still blocking most of her vision. From the bits of the room she could see, it looked large, the walls covered with shelves or obscured by chests, all piled up and chaotic. There was movement, a small shape – a child, dressed in cheap, ragged clothing. There was another one, sat on a chest, two asleep in the corner. Janaxia’s throne slammed to a stop, Stathis raising her arms to stop from slamming into the back of it.

Stathis stepped around Janaxia’s throne, seeing the rest of the room. It was like a treasury, except it was a random assortment of everything – some stuff that was clearly valuable, but a lot that was just stuff. But straight ahead of her, dominating the room, was a golden throne, studded with gems. Sat there was a robed and masked figure, their face hidden behind a white porcelain mask, swirling black marks on the shiny surface.