Flames ( HP Fire Series #1)

24. The Pillars of Death

Autumn's p.o.v.

"This place is eerie." Haz's voice echoed off the cold stone walls as we ventured inside. My head was swimming but the throbbing pain had began to subside. 

"Haz, did the myth say anything about what we should do?" I asked. 

"N-no" Haz answered, her teeth chattering. Ro and Rose were both trembling from the intense cold. The underground air was musty yet pulsing with power. The air turned chilly as we went deeper inside. I summoned a ball of flames, illuminating the way ahead. 

"Which way do we go?" Rose examined the walls intricate with images of the last wizarding battle. There was also an ancient painting of a roaring pit of fire with gems glinting faintly around the pit.

"The magical core is much older and dormant this way. I guess we'll have to follow this path." I indicated, leading them towards the middle path. Nothing greeted us except for cold emptiness. No danger, no obstacles, no creatures as far as I can tell. In fact, this part of the maze is oddly still. I felt uncomfortable at the absence of danger. 

"Is it supposed to be this quiet here?" Rose asked uncertainly. 

"I guess this is just the start." Ro pointed gravely in front. Two stone pillars stood majestically and unmoving. 

"The Pillars of Death." Haz breathed out, her voice shaking slightly. 

"What?" We questioned in unison, staring at the pillars.

"Damn you guys! Alright, these pillars," she gestured, "are the gates towards death. Anyone who passes through it will have their souls ripped apart from their bodies temporarily, drifting beside them. Anyone who's will isn't strong enough will have their souls sucked into the void of death while their bodies remain as empty shells." Haz shuddered as she finished.

"Wow, pretty dramatic huh? But we'll stay together." I promised grasping their hands. "Ready?"

The girls held my hand and we shared a determined look. "Together." And we stepped between the pillars and into the fog.

"I'm floating." Was the first thought that came into my mind. "Maybe death would be preferable. Painless, fast and peaceful. Never needing to worry about anything anymore." I relaxed, my body melting with the fog. I was drifting, away and away...

"Autumn! Hold on! We're together, remember?" Rose's voice sounded foggy in my mind but that restored my strength. Slowly, our friendship burned like an inferno, an anchor of my mind to my soul. I want to live, not because I'm a masochist that delights in enduring pain. No, I want to live because there are people I care for, people whom I can't live without. The love between us kept us together and grounded, our souls binding as one. Love was the most complex form of magic that can blind even death.

"I've got this." My voice was stronger as I smiled at my friends. We're going to survive this as a team.

"Let's keep going." Ro led us as we struggled against the fog. The current of death was strong but our bonds burned brightly. The way forward was difficult but after the first step, the voyage forward was bearable, becoming easier and easier as we combined strengths.

"We should be almost past." I gritted my teeth as the others nodded.

"Well well, not quite, my dear." A voice sounded from the depths of the void. The same cloying tone. Professor Valentina.

"What in the hell is she doing here?" Rose whispered as we exchanged puzzled looks.

"Dears, you are strong, but you won't get past me." She cackled, spreading her wings. 

"What are you?" I asked defiantly as she bared her fangs.

"A fury." Haz gasped in astonishment. "The spirit of punishment." 

"Exactly, my dear. And now, I'm going to devour all of you and drag your empty shells to the deepest parts of death where only chaos lies." She gave a mild chuckle at that thought.

"Well then, I'll fight you." I balled my fists angrily. 

"You can't. You depend on your friends here as much as they depend on you." She said in a sing-song voice.

"How can you survive on your own?" Rose snarled.

"I am the creature of the Underworld. I feed on the souls of fools who dare venture into my territory. You shall perish at my hands!" I lashed out as she was busy laughing. I called upon a wave of tornado, reaching deep for my control towards the elements. 

"Surround her." I commanded as the gust enveloped her in a cocoon. The tornado choked her but she dodged swiftly with a smirk. Her poisonous teeth tried to snap at Ro but it merely grazed her arm. Ro gave a sharp intake of breath and hissed in pain. Rose and Haz instantly pulled out their wands and began to shoot hexes at the fury, murderous looks etched on their faces.  Shrill screams of the fury reverberated the fog as the hexes hit her, cutting through the silence like a knife. A knife, that gave me an idea. But was it workable?

"How did you manage to be apart?" The fury snapped in shock as we surrounded her, no longer holding hands.

"I'll get all of you." She said, swooping low towards Rose. 

"No, you don't!" Haz intercepted the fury but was thown away like a rag doll. The bat-like wings of the fury flapped gracefully, knocking Haz as she spun downwards.

"No!" Rose's shriek of agony was too heart breaking to endure. 

"Fight without me..." Haz's words were drowned by the howling wind around the abyss, the fallen spirits welcoming another innocent soul...

"We're not fighting without you!" I screamed, golden ropes spinning out from my hands, reaching deep downwards. The rope emitted positive emotions-hope, love, determination... chasing away the wraiths who were reaching out for Haz.

"Come on!" I shouted, the ropes binding onto Haz. I blocked out the sounds of battle behind me but focused on pulling Haz up.

"Stay with us, I've got you!" I urged as her inner strength bound with the rope. The rope became stronger and stronger, joined purely by love. 

"I'm gonna kill her." Haz hissed as she launched herself towards the fury, fueled by red hot anger. Her wand slashed and fired spells faster than she ever did, the curses a blur of colours. 

"Haz, Ro, Rose,..." I was desperate now. The spells barely affected the fury as she dodged spell by spell with her inhuman agility.

"Got it." They said before I got the words out. When did we become so coordinated? I conjured a blade by deadly fire. The others transfigured swords from gold, silver and bronze. Earth metals are deadly to furies. Together, we charged as I enveloped all of us in a secure shield. The fury could not even touch us as the shield held. 

"Die!" We shouted, bringing the knives to her throat. Gold, silver and bronze, all the precious earth metals combined in a supernova of power, bringing the fury down in their combined forces. I combined the forces with deadly bursts of flames. With a last shrill scream, the fury vanished into non-existence. A doorway shimmered beyond and I grabbed the handle. We pulled the doorknob together and fell in a crumpled heap into the chamber.