or may not have been his fault. In any case, he now avoided all forms of public transportation. He’d have to make an exception in this case though.
“Where is the entrance?” he asked, though Viper seemed to feel that she didn’t have to answer. Working for an employer wasn’t everything that he’d hoped for. He disliked having to do what people told him too, following orders wasn’t his strong suit. Then again, the killing was glorious. Far better than picking off random stragglers on the streets. It fulfilled his urges like nothing else, each kill seemed meaningful, even if he didn’t fully support their cause.
She stopped beside a classic, yellow American school bus, it seemed normal. Surely this wasn’t it.
Viper pointed at it, and Treston stepped forwards. He was quite short compared to her, but looks can be deceiving. His hands clasped beneath the bus, and in one quick haul he was able to throw it across the room. Jack could now see the hatch which lay underneath.
“Not the most hidden of places I’ve ever seen,” he said, but shrugged. Viper pulled it open and he knelt down beside it. It was just a drop into darkness, nothing to help them down slowly. It might not even have a bottom, the fall might last forever. “Where’s the ladder?”
“Calm down,” she said, “I expect there is some kind of magic at the bottom to protect our fall. This prison is designed to let people in, but not out.”
“Or to kill people.”
“If you’re not going to be helpful, then just stay quiet.”
“Okay, let me sugar coat the truth for you then. Everything’s going to be fine, don’t worry. This isn’t remotely dangerous, not even in the slightest. I think we’d be more at risk taking a stroll in the park.”
“Shut up and get in the hole.” He glared angrily, but her gaze didn’t cease, so he stepped up to the hole.
One last look at Viper’s smug look – not a mystery why she hadn’t volunteered to go first – and then he stepped off the edge and slipped into darkness, consumed by it.
It felt like he was falling for a lifetime, not able to see the bottom or even any sides or walls. Just darkness festering all around him. Night time was his playground, his forte. His skills had developed an ability to see objects in the darkness, but in this, he could see absolutely nothing.
Wind raked past his face, and he had a distinct feeling that his lips were being pressed back against his cheek like a dog hanging its head out the car window. Then after another few minutes, he caught sight of a light, bright red and fiery.
His heart leapt and he tried to paddle in the air as though he could somehow suspend himself. It didn’t slow his descent, however. It was coming in fast. He was too late, nothing he could do now. Oh dear.
He opened his eyes to find himself suspended a few inches away from the ground. He says ground – but really it was a metal grate hanging above boiling lava. He dropped the last few inches onto his feet, Viper and the two men joining him moments after.
“See! I told you,” she said complacently, even though there was no way she could have known, “this is why I’m in charge, and you are just my lackey.” At the word lackey, Jack scowled at her. He was his own man, if he wanted he could finish with all three of them and get away from this accursed place. Well actually, he couldn’t. They need Murum to even be able to get out.
“Come on,” he said, deciding that taking the lead was the best he could do in terms of leadership. As he walked, he could feel the heat lining the metal. Hot steam slipped between the gaps of the metal grate, which wobbled dangerously as he walked. “Exactly how far down are we?”
Viper threw her hair back, the same colour as the boiling lava below. “Somewhere very close to the centre of the planet, I think. It was designed to be built close to the core, they essentially ran tests to see how close they could get without turning to ash.”
“And then built it too close anyway,” he moaned, “it’s so damn hot.” He could feel sweat rolling down his face, making him shiny.
“Oh, do stop whining, please.”
As they moved further in, Jack found himself becoming increasingly uncomfortable, and not just because of the heat. There was a strange feeling as though they were being watched, and it wasn’t nice.
They came to a wide iron door, thankful to find that it opened automatically for them as they approached. But then he realised that it hadn’t in fact opened for them, but rather it opened for the people walking through from the other side.
There were three of them, men in shining armour like medieval soldiers. Their faces were completely covered by their helmets, and their silver armour had been blazoned with fire. It was unnaturally shiny, and had fiery patterns at its edges. They drew large swords. Jack could feel Viper’s excitement rise at a new challenger. He was not feeling quite so positive.
Viper was the first forward, charging at her opponent with dual katanas in her hand. Jack rolled his eyes and pounced forwards.
A knight swung at him but he was able to dodge it easily, though it shook the grate, making him nervous.
He jumped towards the knight, dodging it’s swings and flipping onto his back.
He looked up just in time to see Pollus being gutted by one of the swords. Treston let out a cry of horror and sped up his attacks. Laying a pattern of fisted combos onto the breastplate, actually causing a dent.
Jack kept his focus on the knight he was currently riding. His hand clasped around his neck, slipping his fingers upwards so that they were lodged under his helmet, and then he tore upwards. The helmet came off and the knight threw him a few metres forwards.
Now Jack could get a good look at his attacker. Damn. That was no human, in fact, the knight didn’t have a face. There was skin, and a head, but no face. Somehow it was still able to see though.
“Let’s face it,” said Jack, “oh wait, bad choice of words.” The knight came closer, raising the sword.
“We both know you’re facing death. Okay, that one was intentional.” He slipped to the side out of range of the sword, and swung round to kick him. The knight stumbled back against the grate, teetering on the edge.
This was his chance.
He jumped forwards, aiming a high kick into the top of the knight’s chest, that would be enough. His foot flew through the air, almost there. He hovered next to his target, fingers wrapping round his ankle as the knight swung him round and loosened him over the edge.
Jack cried out in fear as he plunged down towards the lava. He reached out, feeling steam rushing past his face. His hands coiled around something, and he felt himself swing just above the lava. He opened his eyes to find himself hanging from a chain attached to the bottom of the metal grate.
Taking in as much breath as possible, hard because his throat was so dry from wailing, he climbed up.
Jack could feel the skin of his hand melting away under the heat of the conductive chain. It attacked his skin, prying his fingers loose and willing him to let go. But he refused to give up so easily.
He climbed back onto the grate, feeling relief flood through him, especially at the sight of the dead knights at his feet.
“That is gross,” said Viper, eyeing up his mangled palms, “anyway, let’s go.”
“They weren’t so tough,” said Jack, “not for the most secure prison in the world.”
Viper took the lead this time, running along the corridor. “Well they’ve been down here a long time without having to do anything. You’d get weak too being out of practice for that long.” Jack was just glad to be out of those grates. It was cooler in these corridors, probably from the vents along the side which sucked up the hot steam.
Along the walls were cells, most of them were empty – some filled with corpses. He was starting to get a little nervous that this was all for nothing. Not only that, but if Murum was dead, then there would be no way for them to get out. He didn’t voice these concerns to Viper, however. He would have to work extra hard to stop her thinking of him as weak.
His
fears were tarnished when they reached the final cell. Murum must have seen them coming because he was already stood up and packed to go. Admittedly, packed meant that he had stuffed a piece of stale bread, which he’d been saving, into his pocket. But packed none-the-less.
“Why didn’t he just walk through the bars?” asked Jack, poking them. There was nothing strange about them.
Murum was the one who spoke up. “Because this cell saps your magical ability,” he said, his voice was cold and guttural, “while in here, I can’t walk through anything.” With his question answered, Viper stepped forward and messed around on the keypad to their side.
There was no way she would be able to do it.
The bars sunk into the ground allowing them to escape.
A loud sound like an explosion echoed down the corridor, and a light was filling it. Jack suspected that lava was flowing down it ready to flood them. They had a bit of time yet.
“We need you to get us out,” said Viper, “then we have a small job for you. A favour for our help.” He nodded, watching the lava that filled the corridor towards them. “Anytime now would be good.”
But first Murum had one last thing to do. He approached Treston, who didn’t falter. Not even looking away. Murum drew back his hand and pressed it straight into Treston’s head. Now he did react, crying out with pain as Murum’s arm tense. Blood poured out of Treston’s mouth, and he dropped to the floor, completely and