Destined To Die

Chapter 11 - Flame and Frost

-11-

-Flame and Frost-

Akane barrelled through the collapsing chamber, falling boulders passing through his smoking form as he reformed on the far side in a light jog. He spared a single look over his shoulder, catching the barest glimpse of the glow from Bastian's runed armour before all was lost to rubble and rock. He sheathed his swords, a hand touching to his side with a wince. He was lucky to get away with only some bruising, in a straight fight it was unlikely he could take on The Palatine and win.

Using Bastian's anger to destabilise the chamber and cause a collapse had been mostly impromptu, Akane had no way of competing with that sort of brute strength, turning it against the hulking knight was the only way he was going to get out alive. Still, that wasn't going to hold them forever, he needed to move.

He thought as he broke into a sprint down into the pitch-black tunnel, making a beeline for a pinprick of light that flickered in the darkness. He thought about the two hunters at his back, two men that he'd wronged and wondered what twist of fate had brought them together. Was it just that they wanted him dead? Could it be that simple?

He shook of centuries old memories, the first and last time he'd seen Bastian before now, pushing back thoughts of the hunt and the kill. He'd been a different animal back then, adrift in oceans of red, under the thumb of the Shinigami. It was all so distant, as if it had happened to somebody else.

The pinprick of light grew brighter, and the space before him opened into a vast chamber with tunnels pockmarking the walls on every side. In the centre of the space stood Chernobog, silver chalice in one hand, Maddy standing by his side with blood dripping from her hand. She looked over to him as The Black God muttered darkly, the words unintelligible, taking a knee.

The circular tablet they stood on was all too familiar, flawless flat grey stone buried in the rough brown stone of the cave. It was almost identical to the ones he'd travelled along in Japan and China, except this one was featured the head of a large wolf carved intricately on the surface in thin lines. Three recesses were evenly spaced along the outer edge the Leyline Gate, smaller carvings filling each. To the south-east was a proud-looking rooster, to the west a great bear, and to the north a solidly carved bird in mid-flight. Akane's eyes locked on it momentarily, noting the great resemblance it bore to the raven amulet he wore around his neck, staring at it uneasily. Each of the carvings was lit with a faint blue glow, the god's magic bringing the ancient gate to life.

"Remember your oath, Godslayer," Chernobog reminded him, taking the goblet half-filled with their blood and pouring it into the northern recess, "You know better than to break a pact with a god. Your enemies will find you, and your soul will be mine."

There was surprisingly little venom in his voice, as if he was simply stating a particularly uninteresting fact.

"I won't kill your friend on the other side," Akane nodded, giving a quick glance to Maddy.

The girl's face was a mask of determination, a duffel bag over each shoulder as she quickly healed the cut along her hand with a few quick words. She gave a glance back at the tunnel Akane had come from, no fear in her eyes, just a grim determination as Chernobog worked.

The Black God finished chanting, glancing up at Akane as a spark of flame erupted in the receptacle of the Leyline Gate. Oily black smoke curled up from red flames, casting the cavern into a maroon glow as the smoke solidified into a tear in reality. The space beyond was a swirl of pure energy, the energy of the world itself.

"Where will this take us?" Maddy asked, picking up her pack and sharing a glance with Akane.

"Where you need to go," was Chernobog's only reply, a sly hint of a smile curling along his dark features.