Radiant World : Book 1 : Underworld

Chapter 13: Shadow Game

Sophia woke up, every muscle in her body throbbing, her head pounding, and her face covered in soot. There were no showers in the Silo, and she smelled putrescent. She got off her now smoot-stained bed and grabbed the last peanuts she would be eating. She cracked them open with one hand as she left the room. The open silo smelled like charred coals, and the walls, as well as some other spots were blackened with soot.
Sophia yawned as she headed into the middle of the room to try her new ability for the last time. She stood still for a moment, then smacked her palms together. She casted the spell, “Fircho-,” she whipped her body to the side and the finished the cast “-naga!”
Out of the ground whipped up a blazing red flame it encircled her like a cage, then it slashed out like a whip in all directions. She let go of her palms, then began to control the flames. The rippled into her palm and disappeared.
She casted another spell, “Fiswis!”  It rippled from her hand like a snake. It clawed out viciously. A whip formed into her hand, and she smashed it against the ground. A spark of molten metal gorged from the ground. It began to shrink. She tried to keep it in, but it returned to her body. She breathed hard, not noticing the black flame that trickled from her hand. It quickly disappeared as she sat down.
The room smelled strongly of charcoal as Ren exited the sleeping area. “You up early huh?” He said. “Today is the last day after all.”
Sophia felt the room getting hotter as Ren cracked his knuckles. What? Sophia thought, watching Rens fists heat up. They seemed to spark with, like flint and steel.
“This will be your last training exercise, let’s see how far you’ve come.” Sophia stood up quickly, eyeing down her teacher. A blast of hot air flew from Ren as he powered up. Sophia took a step, grounding herself as he had taught her.
“Rensphero!” He yelled, creating a large ball of boiling steel. It bubbled as it plummeted above Sophia.
“Spez.” Sophia whispered to herself. She dodged out from underneath it. “Stondar!” She cast a stone wall rupturing from the ground and blocking the splash of metal.
She looked to the side to see Ren casting something into the earth. “Rendar!” he yelled out. Suddenly four metal walls surrounded her, rippling out from the ground. “Renalance!” He cast.
Sophia knew what was coming, so she casted, “Dara!” pushing her up into the air with a burst of hot air. Below her, a massive steel lance punctured through the box with an array of sparks.
Ren looked up at Sophia, surprised. “Setdara!” Sophia bounded off the air, coming down at ren. She landed with a crash next to him. A black dust spewed from the ground, covering the area around them.
“Ilbaren.”  The metal bat flew through the smoke, smashed Sophia’s side, and sent her flying. She crashed into the side of the silo. She fell to the ground, her arm throbbing. She struggled to stand up, leaning on the wall. Her hair was ragged and seemed heavy. Her glasses fell off, the world went blurry, but she knew he was coming.
“Hulfla!” She cast out a flash of light. It blinded her and Ren, who was somewhere near her. “Fircho-,” she clasped her hands and pushed herself forward, spinning at the same time, “-naga!” She slammed her hands down on the warm metal and her vision returned to her. The flames expelled forth in all directions.
“Woah!” Ren called out, dodging the flames. Sophia looked up at him quickly. She felt an energy coming from within her, and two voices spoke out, like a command.
“Soleil!” A sudden burst of light and heat formed above Sophia. A sun-like entity floated in the air. Ren watched in amazement, but then fear.
“Rass!” Sophia commanded as many shots came out of the sphere they shot down at incredible speeds, some even hitting Ren.
He began to smash the bullets, but his bat started to melt. Crap, he thought as the sun began to grow. I have to end this now.
“Firwasi!” Steam expelled quickly from Rens body, covering the room. Sophia looked around to see where he was coming from.
“Rendolis!” Ren yelled out and a splurge of a silver like metal splashed onto her feat. It seemed to gnaw through her shoes.
“Da-.” Sophia was cut off as Ren cast the metal box once more. The liquid pulled away and she was left in the box.
He lowered the box seconds later, sitting on the ground in a crisscross position. The sun still floated above them. “Whew, that was a good fight.” He sighed, drinking water from a small bottle.
“Its over?” She asked.
“Yeah, you made me use a three-element ability, you’ve passed my test.” Ren smiled.
Sophia sighed in relief and the sun above them dissipated. The room became quite dark after that, and another hint of that dark flame lingered, until disappearing. Ren looked at it and grimaced, “come, sit down, I’ll teach you one more thing before you go.”
Sophia heaved herself over to him, drained of her magic. She sat down like him and took a sip of a bottle of water he had left for her. “So, what is your last lesson?” Sophia asked.
“Its less of a lesson, and more of a warning.”
“A warning for what?”
“I know little about your father, but it seems he has passed an ability onto you.”
“Soleil? It is my last name.”
“No, not that, it seems to be a fire I haven’t seen before.”
Sophia was confused. What could this mean for her, what had her father passed onto her? This puzzle seemed to have missing pieces.
“I believe its void magic.”
“Then it must be from my father.”
“Your father?”
“Yes, he uses Void magic as well. What is so dangerous about it?”
“It’s an ancient, lost magic, used by the primordial Aizo.”
“What does it do?” Sophia was bewildered by Rens seriousness. Her father had used it just like any other magic.
“I am not even sure myself, but it was said to ‘Consume all in it’s path’.”
“Consume all…” Sophia was concerned.
“It will one day, soon, come to you. Maybe even tomorrow.”
“That’s… terrifying.”
“I know, so, be careful please.”
Sophia looked down at her hand then up at Ren with a doom-like expression. It was just the beginning for her, a road that would lead her down into the infernal depths of the underworld.

Sophia walked in the desert sun for the second time. She did it alone, as she headed towards the house atop the hill. Ren had, about an hour ago, let her free from the metal halls of Ja’alal’s home. It had been an accomplishment, to finish the training, and become more powerful, filled with the vigor that she had when she was a child.
She watched the house get closer and closer as she walked on the baren landscape. A sudden stop in her back leg made her look back. A hand stuck out of the sand, groping around.
“AH!” Sophia stumbled onto the ground, looking at the hand.
“Mm-.” a voice seemed to beg, muffled from the sand.
Shit! Sophia tried to tug on the hand, and she ripped the person forth, out of the ground. Sand sprawled across the ground, and a man landed with a thump onto the ground next to her. She held his hand, but quickly pulled away.
He spat out sand from his mouth and brushed off the rest of the sand on him. He wore what seemed to be a bell boys uniform. It was a dark red with yellow buttons running down the middle. He wore a tight, strung hat that looked like a fez. His face was sharp, and he had short, black hair. His ears curved back oddly, and his legs were quite long. As the both of them stood up, he was about half a foot higher then her. She touched her face, realizing she could see him completely fine without her glasses.
“Oh my,” he spoke with a British accent, “thank you for rescuing me, I thought I was going to be stuck in there for the rest of my life.” He extended his hand out to greet her, “my name is Harod, the elevator bellboy.”
Sophia excepted his hand reluctantly. “Elevator… Bellboy?” He was quite an oddity.
“Ah yes, I can call the elevator anytime, and can expand it to fit any sort of item.” He stretched his fingers, then whistled a strange tune. At once, out of the sand, rose the elevator. He took one look over at it and grabbed it tightly. “What!?” He yelled, looking at the elevator, “How could they do this too you!” He almost seemed to be crying.
“Do what?” Sophia asked.
“They painted her Rose Red!”
“What’s the difference?”
“I wear Maroon! We should be the same!” He looked back at Sophia slowly. “Do-do you know who did this?” He seemed to get angrier by the moment.
“N-no, I have no Idea.”
“O-of course, this paint is no older than two hundred years! You… seem to not be an ageless being… what are you?” He pondered Sophia’s body.
She wore a cloak and pulled it back to reveal her blonde hair. “I’m a…” She wasn’t sure what to say, since she was apparently a mix of a lot of things.
“Aetherian-Human-Demigod! Wow, what a interesting mix!” He seemed excited.
“Yes… that.” She didn’t even know what she was herself.
“You seemed troubled? Why is that?”
“I… just don’t get what I am, just yet at least.”
“That’s fine, sometimes I don’t even know what I am.”
“Ha…” Sophia liked the comment.
“Wait…” He closed his eyes.
“Wha-.”
“Sh…” he stood there for a moment with his eyes closed. “Unity… is not in order!”
“Unity? Like the god?”
“God? No, unity is the balance between good and evil, not a being. It keeps the world in check, and when it’s not in balance, chaos can spread.”
“What do we do?” Sophia still doubted that Unity wasn’t a god, but she didn’t say anything.
“Someone has upset the balance of floors, coming to another before entering the floor above. Do you know who this person is?” He asked.
Sophia thought for a moment, the resentfully answered. “Me…?”
The bellboy seemed bitter as she said it. “Then you must go to the sixth floor, here, enter the elevator and complete the journey.”
“Oh- I was gonna head to Ranch’s house…” she looked back at the house on the hill, then back at the elevator. Sophia walked into the elevator, and as they ascended into the sky, watched the house get infinitely smaller. A sudden darkness engulfed the elevator as they made there way to the sixth floor. The light hummed on as the bellboy stood, seemingly angry about something.
I didn’t say something, all though I did want to. The elevator rumbled as it screeched to a stop. Sophia looked out into the green jungle. Silence rang over her ears until the elevator dinged. The mesh door slowly opened, and a waft of onion sizzled into her nose. Her face began to tear up, and she wiped them off. She took one, strange look, back at the bellboy, and stepped out into the grass.
“Goodbye.” The bellboy said as the elevator plummeted into the ground. Sophia looked back, and it was gone, the ground reforming under it. She was left alone in the dark woods. By Ranch’s words, she could tell that no one had come here in millennia.
Sophia took a walk around, as the smell of onions still strangely stayed in the air. It reminded her of her mother, cooking up chickpea soup, every Friday to give to the veterans center. She was so kind and caring, yet she could be in danger at the very moment.
Sophia trekked onward, looking for some sign of the floor leader. She seemed to be going in circles. She called out “Hello!?” and the woods answered back.
“Child…” It called out like memory.
“Hello!” Sophia looked around for the source of the voice.
“Come… to me.” It sounded slightly menacing, but Sophia watched as the vines sprawled up, conforming into a door in front of her. She stood in aw as the door swung open, and a room came into view. Wood tables sat around, empty. And glassless windows peered out into a white abyss.
“Come.” It called out.
Sophia stepped inside wearily. Her feet planted upon the red out floor. It creaked slightly as she looked around for the voice. The door suddenly closed behind her with a slam. She spun around quickly, reaching out for the handle.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” A voice came from behind her. She held her hand, just hovering above the door handle. She turned her head back to see a snake man. He was green like the forest, his head hovered off the ground like a fishing rod. His eyes were a bright orange. He stood up like a person, his tail laying on the ground behind him.
Sophia had a distaste for snakes since she was a child. The first time she touched one, she was so grossed out by how it felt she vomited. Sophia pulled her hand away from the door and turned completely around. She stared at the snake-man in worry as the strangeness amped up.
“You are not of this realm, why have you come to the floors.” The snake asked. Sophia was hesitant to answer, so she didn’t. “Ah yes, I have yet to tell you, my name. I am Gooldara, lord of the sixth floor.”
Sophia wasn’t mistaken, she had found her key to leave. “So you have the key?” She asked.
“Of course, though I won’t just give it to you for free.” Gooldara’s voice seemed to hiss.
Sophia’s face drooped from excitement to exhaustion. “What do I have to do.”
“Oh, its nothing to hard, just a simple game.”
“Whew,” she sighed, “how do we play?”
“Oh, come, ill show you.”
“Ok…” Sophia followed him around the corner into an area of the room she hadn’t seen. There sat a large granite table with a strange pattern of boxes inlayed into it with marble. It stood out against the nature-like aesthetic of the place.
Two large wooden seats sat on either side of the table. Gooldara slithered onto one, and Sophia sat on the other. She put her hands together and was prepared to play.
“Good, you seem excited.”
“You could call it that.” She looked around for any form of cards or piece, but nothing there. “How do we play this anyway?”
“This is the second time you’ve said that, just give me a moment.”
“Oh- Sorry.” Sophia looked around the room anxiously as Gooldara got comfortable.
“Ok, now, place your hand on this.” He pulled something from the underside of the table.
“What…” Sophia looked at it like a torture device. It was a large, hand shaped wood plate, which had thorns wrapped around it.
“If you want to play the game, you’ll have to place your hand on it.” He seemed a bit angry.
“Of… course.” Sophia slowly set her hand on the thorns and winced. In the blink of an eye Gooldaras tail wrapped from the side of the table and over, slamming Sophia’s hand into the thorns. Blood poured into the crevices of the wood, and a slot began to open up.
Sophia screamed in pain, trying to pull her hand off, but she couldn’t. “WHAT THE HELL!” She yelled at Gooldara smirked.
The slot slung open a set of red car sat inside. The thorns receded from Sophia’s hand and her wounds disappeared. She pulled her hand away from the wood tablet and held it in front of her. She breathed hard, sweat starting to form on her forehead.
“Now we can play.” he said slyly.
“What- you bastard!” Sophia slammed her hands down onto the table and Gooldara.
“Now, now, do you want that key?” His face was odd. It was human and snake like.

Sophia looked down at the cards, then back up at Gooldara. She grabbed the cards and set them on the table. “Fine, but don’t make this long.”

“We’ll see about that.” He said. He grabbed his own cards from below the table and sat them down in one of the boxes. Sophia did the same.

“Now draw 1 card per person you’ve seen die.” Gooldara drew 3 cards.

Marco… Sophia thought, picking up one card. Her body froze up as she saw his face on the card. “W-what… what is this?” Sophia looked at what it said below the name.

‘Marco Drivack: Age 800,

Marco was a working janitor who always cared about the people.

His master was Juliana, his mother-in-law.

Marco lost his wife, Tarnia, due to a illness some time ago.
He still saw her eyes as she passed to Ameera.

If Played: Summon Tarnia the Beast Hunter from your deck.’

Marco was her uncle in law? What was this? Her aunt was Tarnia? What was her life descending into? How does this card know his secrets, just what game they playing? Sophia watched as Gooldara placed a card onto one of the boxes.


It read:
‘Azmodan, Lord of Hell: Age 4000,
Dark maverick of the underworld, Azmodan was the commander of the hellish legions of Delora.

Trickster of Zanzaser, and slayer of the gods.
He was killed by King of the Gods, Tut Soleil during the 1000 years demon war.

If Played: Reveal a secret of yours, and one of the other.’

A dark being with large horns and a horrid face was pictured on the card.

Sophia watched as the square seemed to light up with life and the marble around it became red. “The ability is in cast, I must tell you a secret, then you must tell me one.”

“Oh-ok…”

“I...” He seemed to stall, but a strained look came into his eyes, and he spoke. “I am the creation of the Primordial Ighth.” Gooldara looked like he didn’t mean to say it.

“That’s… cool? I don’t know who Ighth is though…” Sophia took a pause to think, then spoke. “I may have the powers of… Void, whatever that means.”

Gooldara’s eyes widened with amazement. “Void!? The powers of Aizo? How… No, you needn’t need to tell me. Well, that is it for my turn.” The red marble shook and returned to white. The card dissolved into the air.

“Ok… my turn.” Sophia resentfully set Marco’s card onto the table. The marble glowed red, then one of her cards flew out from the deck, into one of the squares. Marco’s card didn’t dissipate although and seemed to link to Tarnias card.

It read:
‘Tarnia the Beast Hunter: Age 568,

Tarnia was born in the wilderness of Diafithicus by an unknown god.

She was found by a family and raised.

When her parents passed and she became 180, she met Marco, who was 193 years old.

Marco and her began to form a relationship, and they eventually got married.

She became ill with an unknown virus and passed it on in Marco’s arms.

If summoned by ‘Marco Drivacks’ cast, cause the other player to reveal there closest loved one.’

Sophia stared down onto the card in confusion. Her grandmother was that old? Over 800 years old, it seemed. “I believe your grandmother took Tarnias will and became her maternal parent during her passing.” Gooldara said.

“That still means she’s over… 200 years old!” Sophia looked at the paper in utter confusion.

“You see, your grandmother is what is called a ‘Pure Aetherian’ a being of God-like qualities. But your grandmother only inherited part of it.” Gooldara was impressively wise.

“So your saying my grandmother is 200 years old because she is a distant ancestor of a ‘pure Aetherian’ and passed one of those traits onto me?”

“Basically, now let me answer the cast.”

“Oh, yes…” He seemed to be cheerier then his previous, devious nature.

“There was only one person I loved during my billion-year lifespan.” BILLION!? Sophia’s jaw dropped as Gooldara continued. “Was a woman named To’okotu, during my time on Aether. She was a fair maiden, with golden skin, and precious eyes like the sands of Toro. At the time I was an Aetherian like being, similar to you. I was a prideful man those days long ago. I later stepped myself one too close to the power of the beings above me and was turned into this serpentine creature I am today. So, what else do you want to know?”
“One-One Billion?” Sophias eyes were aghast with a haphazard confusion.

“My age? I was just one of the ancient gods that lined the landscapes of the cosmos. You do know what the classes of the gods are, right?”

“No…” Sophia felt unruly in the presence in such an ancient being. She smelled of a distasting oil, like the fumes off of a car. Her clothes were ragged with burn marks, it was about time she got something new to wear.

“Oh, well let me explain, then we will continue the game.” Gooldara took a deep breath. “There are four classes of gods, of which I am an ancient god. Ancient gods are gods that have lived before the reset.”

“Reset?”

“You will learn more of it in time, now let me continue. There are also dormant gods, which are gods which haven’t made any significant moves in the past thousand years. Finally, there are Chaos, and Unifying gods. Take ranch for example, he is a unifying god, he watches over others, and keeps order.”

“Unifying, like Unity?”

“Exactly, and an example of a chaotic god would be your father. He is like the opposite of his brother, who seeks to unify, he seeks change in Unity. I suppose he helped you in your quest? This was his involuntary reaction to seeing a way to change the future. He wants there to be chaos, and your quest will allow you to cause such change in the floors, and maybe somewhere else.” He seemed to chuckle at the last words.

“Involuntary… So it’s like fate?”

“I… Don’t believe in such things, but they may be true.” He shrugged his nonexistent shoulders. Sophia was still a bit bewildered at his appearance. A snake like being, she was surprised he didn’t slur his words like in cartoons.

“Now, let’s continue on, I will draw.” He pulled out one card with his tail and held it in his hand. He seemed to scan over it with his viperous eyes. “I end my turn, now you draw.” His card disappeared from the board.

Sophia nodded her head. She reached down and grabbed a card. She looked at it carefully, then her eyes widened. These cards all seemed to link to her in one way or another.

‘Luci Ja’alal: Age 467
Luci Ja’alal, daughter of the god Ja’alal, is the proprietor of the 7th floor.

She was born from her mother, Asmos, who died soon after.

She was raised to be a warrior alongside her brother, Beel.

She once had a dream of a woman warning her of something to come.

She shooed it away with no worry, until Sophia came to the floor.

If played, both players must discard half of their deck to the graveyard.’

Sophia set the card down onto the board and felt remorseful yet connected to Luci. The dream of the woman in the cosmos, it must have been the person she had seen. This time, she wouldn’t ignore her call.

The marble once again curdled red and a line from the card to the deck appeared. It was the same to Gooldara. A light came from the bottom half of the deck, and the cards popped into dust. The rest of the cards landed on the table with a light thud.

“Interesting…” Gooldara said as Sophia’s card dissipated.

“I end my turn.” Sophia gaze lifted up back to Gooldara.

He drew another card with his tail, and it seemed to make him grimace. He placed the card from his last drawer down onto the table.

‘Talisman: Psi
The Psi talisman is a special talisman that allows the user to use magic like the gods.
It allows the user to summon multiple magics at once much easier.

If played, discard the card in your hand and make your opponent draw a card.’

Gooldaras card dissipated from his hand, and Sophia drew a card. “I end my turn…” He seemed to regret putting it into the graveyard, but Sophia could tell he most definitely wanted to hide it from himself.

Sophia looked at the card in her hand and read it to herself.

‘Death, Being of the 8th Floor: Age, ???,
Tabo, jahal’logos da fora, koa da hul.
Gid ral da gid tél.
Pul’oon’bœ.

If played, force the other player to play there card they most recently removed from play.’
The illustration on the card was chilling. Death seemed to roam a baren, ashen landscape. Its eyes were filled with hollow pits, as it skulled face instilled fear.

Gooldaras eyes closed as the card appeared onto the field. A pressure came onto the room unlike before. A voice echoed throughout the room like beast had just joined them.
“HAHAHAHA!” The voice boomed, seemingly coming from the card. “Gooldara you old fool! You’ve led me straight to you!” The card settled, and the door behind them burst apart.

Sophia quickly got up, and the cards seemed to scatter onto the table. “Who-.” A burst of energy waved from the door, and Sophia stumbled back.

Gooldara seemed to not be effected but was afraid. “Sophia! Get back!” Yet he was too late. Sophia was thrown out of the room, into the white void.

She felt like she was falling forever, into the white void, until, she seemed to oddly slow down. The descent was eased until Sophia stood still. She looked around, confused. Up and down, it was all white, until it wasn’t.
A dark ashen sand started to appear below her. Then she came to, a world of darkness and bodies strewn across the ground. The eighth floor had appeared to her. She looked around in fear, she was in the unknown, a place said to house the worst terrors, yet nothing was amuck. It was actually more silent then she thought it would be.

A cold breeze came past her, some of the ash soaring up into the air. “Do you see it.” Sophia was paralyzed as she heard its voice. It seemed to creep up behind her, like a ghost in the night. Its harsh breath wavered just above her. Its presence instilled the deepest night into her.

“Do… Past, Death, Life, I am unto your presence, humbled one of the void.”
Sophia felt some sort of relief come from it. It’s like its quest had been fulfilled. She slowly turned around to not see Death, yet some sort of relic of him. A past self, fading into the mist.

Sophia opened her mouth, but it was dry, and she closed it shut. Looking around, the sand seemed to wrap around her, rising like a pillar. She was too scared to call out to someone, so she stood and watched as the sand plumed up around her. She started to float, the air pushing her up and up.

“Woah!” Sophia flailed her eyes around, as suddenly, she was shot upwards, seeing a glimpse of familiar green field. She ended up sitting on the ground, next to the couch. She stood up quickly, looking for Gooldara. The place was baren and empty, except for a single card on the table. She picked it up, and before she could read it, it disappeared. Her hand glowed at once, and it felt like a hot press was being torn into her skin. She screamed in pain and fell onto the floor.

“AGH!” She screamed at the pain seemed to only go on. Seconds later, the pain subsided, only Sophia’s heartbeat pounding in her chest.

She laid on the floor, her eyes wide awake. A mark had been inscribed into her hand which was familiar. It was Omega. She looked around at the room quickly, before examining it. It was small, but seemed like a tattoo, inscribed in her skin.

Her body felt strange, as if the symbol had done something to her. She leaned herself up on the chair she had sat on and looked over at the door. It was open and broken off and A trail of blood left outside.

She stood up and began to walk to the door slowly. She hoped she wouldn’t see what she thought, and she didn’t. She looked out, and a large onion stood outside, it had human-like features, and skinny legs. It was uncanny at the least, its eyes closed.

What in the world is going on… She thought, doubting if anything at the moment was real. Was she in a dream? No, the pain was real, it was all real, and that’s why she needed to continue forward.

She stepped outside, back into the jungle. The onion began to wake up, and Sophia stopped. Its eyes fully opened, and it seemed to float upwards.

“Sophia,” a demonic voiced cascaded from the darkness, “you, and your friends are to die, come to the eight floor by tomorrow to see them live.” The onion began floating up and shaking. It shook and shook until it exploded, in a shower of blood. Sophia stood in fear, as onion blood, which stung her eyes, dripped down her face, and clothes.

A key chain appeared in front of her, a green key, now upon it. She grabbed it. Gooldara… Sophia wiped the blood off of her face, and winced in anger, and doubt.

She continued through the interlude of the jungle trees, trying to find the elevator, until its rectangular body came into view. She rolls open the door and walks in she sighs, taking one look back onto the sixth floor. She clicks the key into the slot and closed her eyes. Please, let me leave
.
Sophia’s emotions bundled tight seemed to unravel in the elevator. Her eyes poured out, in fear, her body stricken with grief and confusion. She was releasing everything that had built up, every waking moment had come out. She banged her fists on the bottom of the elevator, as she lay, slumped over on the floor. Blood had smeared across her hands and the ground. It was like she really had seen death; it was too much for her. She passed out from emotional exhaustion, laying down, burdened by the fight.