The Elemental Chain Saga Book Two: Dragons Ascending

Chapter Eight: Libracio, Redemptio, and Capricornia

And finally, as the pain won over Max, he let in the darkness, it fell over him and he could hear the whispers from his dreams, louder and closer than ever.

He could finally hear all of what their malevolent voices had to speak. And they crooned in voices of pure horror:

Death shall come and strike the land
The kingdom shall fall by its own hand
A promise of hope will cast the dice
The blood of One will only suffice

A screech of pure rage split the air and the ground rumbled and split. And the world was cast into darkness.
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Max felt himself be surrounded in what felt weightless, airy, like pure light. He could hear a soft chiming noise in his ears as the light thickened around him. He swore it was Madame Babushka and her chimes. And, as the light brightened, Max felt his pain slowly ebb away.

With a flash of pure bright light, Max felt himself float softly to the floor, his body landing with little disturbance. He felt light and airy, completely different than when he had been struck with the swords.

The swords....

Max bolted upright, feeling his chest. "How," he stammered shakily. There was no sign of his wounds, no sign that he had been pierced with the shadow blades. "How?" He repeated in wonder. How could I possibly still be alive, he thought in complete awe. Max was mystified, to say the least. But then doubt crept into his mind, where am I?

Max lifted his eyes from his unscathed body, sweeping them across his bizarre surroundings, his awe and doubt increasing. Around him has a spacious room, larger than any he'd seen before. Large marble columns stretched up to the cavernous ceiling high above. Statues from ancient times graced the walls, so well carved that they could be mistaken for real people. Max picked out intricate forms of people, bold-looking lions, playful fish and even an immense dragon, an immense molded work, almost life size.

Women in long, flowing gowns sauntered down the halls, hips swaying as they strode here and there. Their hair was done up like the statues, in Greek swirls. Their eyes all sparkled, mesmerizing him, but that was not all Max noticed. What he saw was the doors they entered.

Max gasped as he saw them. The first he saw was off to the far left. A door of obsidian black with milky blue skulls tracing the frame. White wisps flowed in and out of the skulls, wailing painfully as they entered, their voices crooning. A silver handle glowed softly in the lower left of the door.

Max watched as a man was dragged over to the door, legs flailing. His face was scared and he looked like he had serious burns across it's expanse. His red cloak was ripped in numerous places and ash covered the edges. One of the woman pulled on the handle and the door pitched open. A screeching howl ripped through the hall, tearing through the open space and filling it to the brim with sounds of bloody anguish; it was enough to make one go crazy. The man screamed as he was pitched through the door. There was a roaring rush as he was sucked far into the room beyond. His last screams echoed throughout the hall as the door closed with a resounding slam, cutting off his last shouts for mercy.

Max's mouth gaped open, and if he wasn't already sitting, he would have dropped down in shock. No one even seemed that bothered. The Greek-looking ladies glided into different doorways without skipping a beat. That brought Max's attention to a second door, his mind still reeling with what he saw and heard.

A beautiful door wrought of gold stood at the far right. Flowing words of royal blue were etched into the door, gleaming in elegant flows. A silver handle just like the one on the skull door was set in the lower left of the door. A few women danced in those doors, singing a strange song as they did. The door was a complete contrast to the other, and filled the room with a soft light when it was opened.