The Hall of Doors by Phillip Locey

Author:Phillip Locey [Locey, Phillip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781947579149
Publisher: Elisahd Books
Published: 2019-12-09T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

The Chaos Cyclone

“T his sounds extremely dangerous,” said Saffron.

Thaelios didn’t disagree with her assessment. He certainly wasn’t going to push for entering the Infinite Layers of the Abyss. “Are we sure this is a course we want to pursue? We don’t even know that finding the Juda-cai is the best way to protect my people from whatever danger is to come.”

“To be fair,” Dyphina interjected, her natural beauty returned with the expiration of her illusion, “it does seem that the Juda-cai would know about the Spawn of Raug – he is one of them, after all.”

Saffron and Be’naj both nodded, leaving Thaelios to turn to the Celestial for support. “What do you think, Palomar? Your kind knows the perils of the Abyss better than the rest of us.”

Palomar set his jaw and furrowed his brow. “If we know of a threat to the innocent, we should not sit by and allow it to become manifest. That said, the five of us attempting to infiltrate an Abyssal repository of Rune Magic is unveiled folly.”

Saffron looked surprised and started to object. “But—”

Palomar shook his head, “Fire means nothing to demons, and even the lesser Tanar-ri are physically stronger than any of you … which is why I shall ask one of the Celestial Marshalls for aid.”

Be’naj smiled and nodded. “Do you think the other Aasimar will help?”

Palomar shrugged. “I spent long spans battling Abyssal invaders under Illicurus. I know a few veterans from that campaign still assigned to protect Vilonia. I will ask and hear their answer.”

“So, are we headed back to the settlement? I would be happy to get out from under this mountain,” Thaelios said. He was sure having a contingent of Aasimar accompanying them would make him more comfortable, but uncertain whether abandoning this course altogether might ultimately be best.

Thankfully, they left the crackling, dark energy of the Abyssal Rift behind and strode in pensive silence to the surface. Seeing a blue sky above his head and the warmth of sunshine on his face acted like fresh air to Thaelios’s suffocating soul. Only back under the canopy of the heavens did he appreciate the unseen oppressiveness of a Plane saturated by negative energy.

“Perhaps you should wait here, friends,” Palomar projected as they reached the armory. “My conversation with Khanarme demands privacy. I shall return as soon as I can.”

Thaelios didn’t mind the break and sat down on the black soil to wait.

“It is difficult to measure time, here,” Be’naj mentioned. “I cannot tell if the sun has even moved since we arrived. When was the last time you slept, Saffron?”

“I have no idea, but now that you mention it, I’m exhausted.”

Dyphina followed up with an unrepentant yawn. “I wonder if they have anywhere comfortable to sleep.”

“I don’t think Aasimar require rest, to be honest,” Thaelios postulated. What he’d gleaned during his linguistic studies of the Lower Planes suggested that creatures without finite lifespans generally lacked the baser needs to sustain them.

“I could use a break to trance myself,” Be’naj added.

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