Jas fell the fifteen yards and landed solidly on the rock floor below. Before, a jump like that would have fractured both his legs, shattering his bones and driving the shards into his pelvic cradle.
Now he just sank into a crouch, skeggox propped over one shoulder and slowly rose to standing. Jelly floated down as the others leaped down after him, landing in an arc around him. Yadriel carried Miriam, whose stats werent yet up to snuff, but otherwise they fell silently and oriented on the huge portcullis.
What are we dealing with here? asked Denzel softly. The Pits?
Nah, said Jas. This is sothing unique to Belanger. Im sure of it. The real Pits will be a sight bigger, Im sure.
The darkness beyond the bars shifted and smoldered. It was clearly magical, the kind that wreathed the hives. Kerim pushed his spectacles up his nose and stepped forward. The tunnel continues for a short way beyond the bars then curves out of sight to the right.
Gotcha, said Jas, moving up to the bars. Let know if sothing appears. He grabbed the rough iron in both hands, crouched, then locked his arms and started to rise. Strength 54 was prodigious. On many levels Jas didnt yet fully understand what he was capable of, but now he saw the direct results.
The huge portcullis rose with him. Jas felt the muscles writhe along his arms, felt his hamstrings snarl, felt his quads strain with effort. Up he lifted the huge barrier, pushing it back into the slot carved into the ceiling.
Serenity, he grunted. Skeggox.
She grabbed his axe, placed it upright beneath the bars, and Jas relaxed. The portcullis caught against the axe and remained a yard above the ground.
Everybody hurried under. Jas went last, passing through the shimring darkness. The tunnel beyond was just a Kerim had described it, roughhewn and with flickering illumination coming from beyond the curve. For a mont Jas considered grabbing his skeggox, but then decided the ability to make a quick exit was more important.
Together they walked forward, listening intently. Jelly flitted ahead, disappearing around the curve.
Large room beyond. Two corpses. Jaywicks n. Looks like they shot each other. Another pit in the center of the room. Goes down aways.
Jas rounded the curve and saw what Jelly had described. Burning torches were set in tal scones affixed to the stone walls. The effect was positively dieval. The two n lay where theyd fallen, bullpup machine guns loosely cradled, their fronts torn up by gunfire.
What the hell? asked Jason as he moved forward warily. They just have a falling out?
No telling, said Kerim. We had best be careful. We have no ability to protect against possession or curses.
Thats no comfort, said Denzel.
Jas approached the pit. Great runes were carved around its periter. As he drew closer they began to burn a filthy green, and a wave of slushy frozen horror flowed into him. It was a primal sensation. His pace slowed and then he stopped altogether.
There was no obvious threat, but he was paralyzed with fear. His chest began to heave, his throat to close, his thoughts to whirl. Flickering images of a nauseating tenor rushed through his mind, nothing substantive but enough to turn his stomach.
The others also slowed, one by one, as they entered the runes radius of effect.
Fuck, grunted Yadriel. Why am I suddenly feeling like a little bitch?
We are brave, said Kimmie, her voice shaking. Nothing can stop us.
Her power washed over Jas, nullifying so of the abject terror, and he managed another couple of steps before slowing again.
Miriam finally spoke up. We we have nothing to fear here. We we can press on.
She didnt sound like she believed it, but her Benediction blazed forth, warming Jas in a more profound manner than Kimmies Inspiration. The terror withdrew, his chest unlocked, and he sucked in a deep gulp of breath as the green runes faded and went dark.
God damn, hissed Serenity. Ive not felt that way since grade school.
Jas t Miriams gaze and nodded his approval. She looked guilty for having taken so long, but Jas waited till she returned his nod and stepped to the pits edge.
Whatevers down there they really dont want us getting to it, said Denzel. Fuck. Another jump?
More unnatural darkness. Kerim peered down. The falls not bad. Just ten yards. But there are a number of spikes. You land wrong youll get impaled.
Great, said Jason. Can you do anything to get rid of the darkness?
No. But I can tell you where to jump. Here. If you take a small step forward and just drop, youll land in a clear space. One at a ti.
All right. Jas stepped up beside Kerim. Right here?
Kerim took him by the shoulders and moved him a little to the left. There. Just a small step. Fall with your back almost touching the side of the pit. Its just ten yards.
Jas nodded, inhaled deeply, and stepped forward. He fell, punched through the layer of unnatural darkness, and then was through. He landed hard, falling into a crouch, and froze.
A dozen wickedly barbed spikes rose up all around him, each two yards in height. Landing on one would either result in complete impalent or being torn to shreds on the barbs.
Im fine, he called, rising and slipping forward between the spikes. Next.
Another tunnel led out of the spike pit. Laughter and voices ca from around the next curve, and in the shadows Jas saw movent.
One of Jaywicks n, left on guard. The man was pushing off the wall with his shoulder, raising his gun, eyes wide in alarm, mouth opening to holler.
Power 56 allowed him to explode forward faster than any sprinter. Speed 47 allowed him to cross the pit as quickly as a bullet. Agility 44 allowed him to weave between the spikes as if they were yards apart instead of re feet.
Jas closed one hand about the guards throat and closed the other around the gun, keeping the muzzle pointed down. He cracked the mans head against the wall, hard, and the guards eyes rolled up before he even managed to croak.
Jas lowered him quickly, only to belatedly realize there was no reason to be gentle; a thick splotch of blood and hair remained on the ragged wall. Frowning, Jas tilted the mans head forward. The back of his skull was pulped.
Strength 54.
Serenity dropped into the pit, hissed as she nearly slashed herself open, then called out the all clear and approached.
What happened? she asked, staring at the dead man.
, I guess. He was left on watch.
Slick moves, Rick. She looked past him. Jaywicks cautious. Two dead top side, two more in the pit room, now this guy. Hes down to three more. We outnumber him two-to-one.
One of them had an Anima Sola. If its Jaywick, hes no push-over.
The rest of the crew dropped down. Kerims guidance was such that nobody had any accidents. Once they were all gathered Jas led the way, along the tunnel and out into a massive cavern.
The place was huge. Big enough to fit half a football field and composed of multiple different plateaus at varied heights. Stalactites and stalagmites rose to et everywhere, turning the place into a forest of glimring stone towers, and the air was musty and damp.
But Jass gaze was pulled to the far side of the cavern where a huge throne rose from a high ledge, resplendent and demonic. It was a riot of bones and rusted steel, large enough for a Nem3 but occupied by an old man who watched Jaywick and several others slowly approaching, his chin on one fist, his expression bored, sullen, annoyed.
Jas extended his arm, stopping the others from moving any further. Jaywick was having trouble. It was simple enough to navigate the floor, to go around the stalagmites and leap from ledge to ledge, but already two of his n were dead, torn apart by invisible attacks that left their bodies shredded in pools of gleaming blood.
Jaywick crouched thirty yards before Belanger, heaving for breath, one arm stretched forth as if to forestall another attack. His remaining soldier stood a few yards behind him.
You dont need to carry the weight any longer, Jaywick called to Belanger. I understand that Im not welco here, but my arrival could be an end to your pain.
But Im not in pain, said Belanger dully.
This is not living. Jaywick gestured around the cavern. Shes not really your wife.
You think I dont know that?
Jaywick hesitated. Then why do you spend your ti with her?
You dont get to ask questions.
Whoa, wait-wait-wait. Im sorry. Youre right. Jaywick had positively flinched. No need to call her. I, ah, am just here to help. To help you.
Belanger frowned. Is that so?
Ill take on the weight, the burden. Ill ease your load. Just give it to and this can all end for you. Dont you want peace?
Peace. Belanger tasted the word. Its too late for that. And he made a gesture.
The remaining SAS soldier wheeled around as a woman appeared by his side. She was naked, her body glistening with blood. Her lank blonde hair hung down past her shoulders, and her expression was alive with amusent and delight. She reached out and took hold of the soldier as he opened fire point blank into her gut, his gun burning bright with the silvery light of Smite. For a second he just poured endless rounds into her gut, and then she tore him apart.
One hand holding his left shoulder, the fingers of her right digging into his abdon to clutch at the rim of his pelvis, she simply ripped him in half. His scream cut off abruptly as gore fountained everywhere, bathing the woman anew. She released both halves and they fell with wet thumps to the ground.
Fuck! Jaywick reeled back and in doing so caught sight of Jas and his crew. Kelly! Get her, get her while shes visible -
But then she wasnt. Quick as a blink she was gone.
Get her? asked Belanger, voice pricked with pique. Get her? You would harm my wife?
No, of course not mate, I rely ant -
The woman appeared behind Jaywick. There was nothing demonic about her, nothing overtly terrifying, but that in and of itself made her ghastlier. She reached forth just as an Anima ca buzzing down from the darkness that cloaked the cavern roof. Its bladed arms blurred as it slamd into her back, only to bounce off, blades bent. Jaywick scread and silver lightning blasted down from the roof to strike the woman, immolate them both.
But to no avail. She wrapped one arm around his chest, a hand around his chin, and tore his head clean off.
Blood geysered up as she released the body. The flare of Heavenly Assault died away. Her body was unmarked by the attack. For a second she considered the head in her hands. Jaywicks lips moved for a second, and then she tossed the head away and looked over her shoulder at Jas.
For a second their eyes t. Her face ran with blood, her hair hung heavy and lank with it, but still she smiled, a wicked, enticing smile, as if she were espying him from across the room at a party and deciding in that mont to have her way with him.
Then she was gone.
Belanger sighed and shifted on his throne. You lot. You want the Light Eternal. You want to convince to give it to you.
Thats right, Jas called back.
Its right here, said Belanger, and he placed a burning sapphire gem the size of his fist upon the thrones arm. It was enshed in golden wires and looked just like a heavenly treasure. Reach my throne and Ill give it to you.
Jas looked at the scattered corpses that littered the cavern floor. That easy.
For the first ti Belanger smiled. The expression was haunted. That easy.
We could go as a team, said Serenity. Circle of Protection, Shields up, Martyrs Cry to keep us going.
Dont bother trying to kill her, Belanger called out. Janes more powerful than a Monitor now. Your best bet is to just get the fuck out of here. But if you insist? He patted the gem. Start walking.
Jas licked his lips, considered, then squared his shoulders. You lot wait for here.
What the fuck? hissed Serenity. Wait for you here?
Theres only one way across, said Jas. Its not a physical ordeal. This is a psychological labyrinth. Ill try the odds alone.
Olaf put a hand on Jass shoulder. If you insist. But we will be ready. If this Jane appears, we will act.
Fine. Jas held Serenitys gaze till she looked away with a scowl, then turned to face the cavern. Fifty yards separated him from Belanger. A few precipitous drops, a few sharp climbs. He could run the distance in seconds, but for sure that would trigger Jane. He didnt know why, but he believed Belanger when he said she was more powerful than a Monitor.
Whatever theyd done to placate him, to get him to sit on that throne, it had to have been worth damning the whole species. The demons wouldnt have expended a lowly Nem on the deal.
Jas hopped off their ledge, fell a couple of yards onto a smooth expanse of rock, and began to walk forward slowly. Patrick Belanger?
The old man studied Jas, eyes narrowing at the casual tone. The sa.
My nas Jas Kelly. Mind if we chat as I cross?
I expected nothing less. You need to convince to keep Jane at bay. Move too fast and Ill release her. Annoy , insult , bore , and Ill do the sa. The old man paused and then an unhinged smile crossed his face. I hope for your sake youre more interesting than those last fools.
One way to find out, said Jas, and stuck his hands in his parka pockets. Slow walk work for you?
The old man nodded, again narrowing his eyes at Jass chill tone.
Cool. Jas began to advance cautiously. So tell . Whyd you decide to sacrifice all of humanity for this shitty existence in a hole?
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