Chapter 124: Aeviternum Hurricane

Chapter 124: Aeviternum Hurricane

The next three levels were as varied, bizarre, but ultimately unchallenging. The Hollow Hill was a small mountain of bones that had calcified into a funereal whole that resembled a giant skull. Great orb spider demons picked their way delicately over the white surface, and from their spinnerets came virulent sprays of Infernum-tainted webbing.

James and his crew dropped Heavenly Assaults all over the hill, cleansing its exterior, and then watched as the Castrum Mortis bashed its way inside, revealing thousands more spiders which they cleansed until they at last reached the crimson gem.

Level 5 was the Endless Swamp, a fetid, gaseous expanse of rotting vegetation and dank pools that hid great albino tentacles that could have been part of some vast creature. They whipped out of the mire to clutch at the Castrum and attempt to entangle the Wings, but again Nova and Heavenly Assaults cleared the area.

The gem was located deep in a noxious pool, its presence betrayed by the faintest of roseate glimmers on the waters murky surface. A Heavenly Assault speared all the way down into the depths and shattered it.The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.

Level 6 was the Onyx Crypt. They manifested inside a cyclopean vault, the hallways so huge that the Castrum could walk through them without difficulty. No windows, no light, just an endless maze of passages and tombs. They explored slowly, steadily, expecting hordes of undead or the like, but nothing moved, nothing stirred.

Gradually, almost unnoticeably, a palpable sense of dread grew amongst them. It was enervating and terrible, and James found his chest tightening, his breath coming in ever shallower gasps until he realized the true nature of this levels assault.

Summoning Remove Fear gave him a moments reprieve, but it took all seven of them to beat back the crawling sense of horror. Even then it was barely enough; the closer they got to the Crypts center, the more paralyzed James felt himself become, till it took all of his will to enter the final chamber and there espy the crimson diamond gleaming in the ebon night.

They shattered it with Diamond Aura, and the terror abated.

Man, were paying for not being a full nine, said Jason, his face slick with sweat. Feels like were just stronger as a complete group.

James hesitated then nodded. Youre right. That was far harder than it should have been. And I felt it. Uneven. Having Kimmie and Kerim here

Should we go back? asked Serenity. Not for Kimmie and Kerim, exactly, but for two new recruits? To give us that nine-strong formation?

James wiped his sleeve over his clammy brow. Considered. Were six levels in. Thats almost a weeks reprieve. But nobodys been forced to use Aeviternum yet, nor Miracles, nor summon their Virtues. Hard as this was, we werent really tested.

So more? asked Denzel, his voice hollow in the huge space of the nightmare tomb. The Ruby Grove?

I say we push it a little more, said James. Worst case scenario I can teleport us back home.

Miriam rubbed at her face and sat up straight. OK. If you think thats best. I trust your judgement.

James thought of Joanna, of the burning hive inside Philly. Was he making the right call? He glanced at the Castrum Mortis which stood patiently behind them, its armaments glowing in the gloom, its armor lightly scratched but otherwise undamaged.

We got this. Another level or two.

You got it, boss, said Serenity, shrugging her shoulders to release some of the tension. She lowered the autocannons so that they aimed straight ahead and slid forward on her Wing into the crimson portal.

James followed right behind.

You have entered Layer 7, The Ruby Grove

Man, said Yadriel as he cruised out next to James. This aint nothing like I thought helld be like.

They had emerged into the heart of a gigantic grove. Darkness was a dome all around them, but the trees glimmered as if made from metal and glass. The trees were stylized, made of spirals of copper wire as thick as Jamess thigh that twisted around and around a glass core through which deep bubbles of light slowly traveled, like the ectoplasm in a lava lamp. The trees rose up as tall as skyscrapers in a ring as large as downtown Brooklyn, and looking up, James could only marvel.

If this is hell began Jason, his voice tinged with awe.

The branches of the trees formed a continuous canopy that spread overhead. The wires wrapped around ever thinner branches from which great leaves extended, each the size of a swimming pool and made of diaphanous ruby. The air around them shone with shifting lens flares, and the sight was more beautiful than anything James had ever seen.

The Castrum Mortis passed through the portal and dropped to the ground some fifty feet below, landing with its customary prowess and immediately bringing its weapons to bear.

But just like in the Onyx Crypt, there was nothing for it to target.

James and the rest of his crew floated forward slowly on their Wings. They gaped at the cathedral space into which theyd entered. Tree trunks surrounded them in a ring a mile or two away, and the canopy was easily a couple of thousand feet up.

Never had James felt so small, so insignificant.

Olaf growled. This place is pretty, yes, but we are in hell. Where is the enemy?

James blinked and came back to himself. The ethereal beauty was so transcendent that hed momentarily lost track of their mission. He wiped at his face and gazed around, extending his senses.

All was still.

Tranquil.

James leaned out and stared. Shards of ruby were rising in a dust-devil, spinning around and around and coalescing into a massive crimson diamond. It rose to a height of some twenty feet, faceted and perfect by the end, and then hung there in the darkness, giving off a radiant glow.

I think you earned this one, called James. Want to take it, Jason?

Sure thing, sir.

They followed Jason down till he came to a stop above it and a lance of aura flashed forth from his palm to transfix the diamond which shattered a new, the pieces glittering and fading away into nothing as they fell.

Layer 7, The Ruby Grove, Defeated

Layer 8, The Sinister Blockade, Unlocked

A new portal formed where the diamond had hovered.

The Sinister Blockade, said Denzel. Man, that sounds

Dont say it, said Serenity.

Sinister, finished Denzel, smiling for the first time in forever.

Serenity shook her head in mock dismay. Geniuses. Im surrounded by geniuses.

Blockade, said Olaf. That is like a - what? A blocking, demons stopping us from passing through.

Geniuses is right, said Yadriel mockingly.

Ha ha. Olaf stared at the kid. Let us have this conversation in Norwegian and see how you do.

Man, we aint in fuckin Norway.

Enough, said James. How are you holding up, Castrum?

SYSTEMS FUNCTIONAL.

I think that means hes good to go. Serenity rolled her shoulders again. Want to blow open this blockade?

Sure, said James. But were getting deeper now. Lets not lose our caution just cause weve been blowing through the levels thus far. When we get through, we drop Righteous Obelisks and Bless Green. If it looks like too much, Ill teleport us out.

Roger, said Jason. We ready?

Everyone nodded.

Born ready, said Yadriel. Cant wait to use another Word of Slaughter. This is like taking corndogs from toddlers at the state fair.

Everyone stared at him.

What? Its an expression. Dont mean I done that.

Great, said Serenity. Were fighting our way through hell with a corndog thief.

Hey, everyone. Jamess tone caught their attention. You all know that this is going to get harder, right? I dont know when or on which level, but were going to eventually face demons with Infernum and their own Miracles. Probably with their own Benedictions, the lot. Were almost a third of the way down. Its been easy so far, but dont let your guard down. Yeah?

Yeah, everyone murmured.

Good. Then lets check out this Blockade. James eased his Wing to the portal. Stay close, wait for the order to engage, and go in with Angelus Armor and Aureate Bucklers activated. Lets bring up Empowering Light. Olaf, I want us all in a Circle of Protection the moment were on the other side.

Why all the juju now? asked Denzel. You sensing something?

The last two levels have been tricky, but nothing we couldnt handle. If I was designing these levels? James met everyones eyes. Id not be above getting folks to lower their guard before hitting them with a sucker punch. It just feels like nows the time to get ready for it.

Thats good enough for me, said Serenity, her form blazing with white radiance as Empowering Light took hold. Second were through, we raise Shields and hunker within the Circle of Protection.

Yes, said Olaf. I will go through first and raise it.

All right. James waited as everybody lit up, armor forming over their bodies, bucklers manifesting. Then lets go ruin somebodys day.