Book 7, Chapter 36 - The Celestial Factory

This level of the underground world was hot as h.e.l.l .  

Five figures picked their way along the lava flows, weaving through huge and dramatic natural monuments .

Ruins here were different from the ones above . They were even weirder, constructed in shapes like ovals, squares, pyramids and cones . Every corner, line and curve was exceedingly precise . Every face and facet was perfect . Even the most accurate measurement tools would find no deviation .

Where they left here by the G.o.ds?

“What is all this? They remind me of Elysian Temples…”

“You’re right, there are a number of similarities . But the major difference is their function . By their look it seems our guess was correct – this place has something to do with the G.o.ds . ”

Phoenix, Bruno, Natessa and two others had gone on this excursion . One of them was Cloude family elder Oren . The other was one of Skycloud’s former foremost commanders, Cosmo Thane .

Since being left here by Cloudhawk, the group had uncovered and collected a number of murals . These depicted secrets of days long pa.s.sed, eventually leading them to this place hidden so deep underground .

If they weren’t mistaken, this was a secret bunker . The topography looked old and eroded, maybe several tens of thousands of years old . Its original creators were likely G.o.ds, but the most pressing question was why build it?

The group stood before a structure hanging in midair, looking at it with expression of wonder and amazement . However in the back of their minds they wondered – after exploring for so long, would they be able to find their way back?

It was hot like an oven, with air so scalding it was hard to breathe . Ordinary people would not survive . In fact of the five explorers, only Phoenix was not burdened by the heat . Thankfully Natessa spied an entrance into the spherical Temple and pointed it out to the others . They were faced with a choice .

One, they could enter alone . Two, they could return to the base camp and get others to come with them .  

“I figure since there is no opposition, there’s no rush . We don’t know if it’s safe . ” Bruno offered his thoughts . “If there’s one thing we have it’s time . We should find our way back, gather a team and make a plan to return . ”

“Easy for Master Bruno to say,” Oren grumbled . “We’ve at least a hundred thousand meters below the surface . There are lava flows and volcanic tubes filled with scorching air . We can’t just say ‘let’s go back’ and be done with it . We have to bide our time . ”

“If I still had my dagger, it would not be that difficult . ”

“What’s this nonsense, Bruno?” Phoenix scowled in disdain . “We’re here . Now you suggest going back empty handed? I’m going in, if you’re frightened you can find a place to hide . ”

Bruno rubbed his nose and chuckled helplessly . The two Master Demonhunters were very different people . He was patient and hard to anger, whereas Phoenix was defiant and inflammatory . In her eyes it didn’t matter what dangers they faced, she would deal with it using her fists . Consequences be d.a.m.ned .

Bruno, Natessa and Cosmo looked at one another . There was still some hesitation as to whether to enter, but their wordless thoughts were interrupted when the ground began to tremble . Plumes of poisonous fumes belched from fissures and angry red light poured forth .

Was the volcano awakening?

The area was unstable, so an eruption was not out of the question . Only they soon discovered it was not that simple . From among the hot ash and glowing magma, several figures emerged .

Creatures . Things that were able to live within the flowing rock .

All of them were caked in ash and as they flew from the lava, they left trails of smoke . Their bodies looked like b.a.l.l.s of magma formed into bat-like molds, only large as dragons .

Five sets of faces stiffened at the sight .  

Again? There was always some new terror lurking around every corner! Only this time there were many, at least a thousand of them .

“d.a.m.nit, we’re surrounded . We have no choice – quick, into the Temple!” Even Bruno’s stoic calm was cracked by the scene . He shouted for them to get moving .

Magma birds descended on them with a cloud of smoke and ash . Their vision became clouded and chaotic . Once within range the birds opened their jaws and vomited a mixture of hot smoke, toxic dust and magma . It was a lethal c.o.c.ktail .

One or two such creatures wouldn’t have been a problem, but a thousand? There were far too many, and the humans were too few . Their only option was to flee toward the Temple and take shelter .

Bruno had his thunderblade in hand . With a wave of his arm a streak of lightning was let loose . Several of the magma birds were cut apart, but there was no blood or meat . Instead their wounds spewed magma and knit back together .

Well, striking them was no use . They had to be destroyed completely .

Caught in this position, Phoenix felt particularly awkward . Fire was her domain, but these beasts were resistant . Her attacks would do no damage unless she pumped them up to incredible heights . More likely they would increase the power of these monsters!

“Come with me . ”

Natessa summoned a whirlwind, blowing away the fume that concealed their vision . She was first to break pa.s.sed the birds, jump into the air and shoot toward the Temple .

Phoenix was next to react . She spread her arms and they burst into flame, becoming a pair of smoldering wings . Attacks from all sides were burned up before they got close . She then carried the others upward in Natessa’s wake . They quickly made their way into the structure .

The magma birds circled for a long time, but seemed to hold some instinctive fear . They did not try to force their way inside . So eventually they flapped back into the caves and fissures, and eventually calm returned .

Here they were . Bruno looked around, uncomfortable and uncertain . “What is this place?”

Huddling close the explorers looked around . They were in a white chamber, surrounded by nothing but walls .

“There shouldn’t just be one room in a building this big . ” Bruno turned to the others . “Let’s look around . There’s probably a hidden door . ”

Phoenix strode toward one of the walls and pressed her palm to its surface . She found something almost right away . “These walls are made out of special material . It resonates with mental power . Let me see…”

With that Phoenix reached out with her mind . Sure enough the wall began to resonate with her and react . All at once the milky-white walls turned translucent and malleable, almost like jelly .

It was a particle gate . The portal opened and closed using mental energy . What an instant before was a solid wall now became a loose connection of particles, small enough for someone to pa.s.s through . When the portal was closed those particles tightened once again, and the wall reformed .

Particle gates were both practical and effective for defense . Every creature’s mental energies were different . One could set the gate to open with a specific frequency, blocking out anyone without the right resonance . In addition, whoever controlled the particle gate could stop or kill anyone pa.s.sing through it .

By all rights Phoenix should not have been able to open the particle gate, but it appeared the restrictions for it had been left unguarded . Anyone with the requisite mental powers could activate it .

Phoenix outstretched her hand and pushed it through . The wall rippled like water .

“Good, we can enter through here . Let’s go!”

The group each pa.s.sed through smoothly in turn . Nothing stopped them and they entered into a long hallway on the other side . At the end was another particle door and a chamber beyond .

The chamber was the heart of this building . When they entered, Phoenix and her compatriots where stunned by what they found .

It was filled with technology the likes of which they could not comprehend . Light that acted like liquid weaved patterns in midair . They were complex and widespread, like the roots of a brilliant tree or industrial pipes . The latter was more apt, for they seem to be involved in making something .

“Look! What’s that?”

Bruno saw something he struggled to understand . Even his voice quavered . As the others stared something like bubbles formed within the light . They moved without the constraints of gravity, hanging in the air before the shocked onlookers . They were like eggs almost, with something encased inside . These tiny ‘embryos’ were… armor?

They came in different colors and complexity, but their style was all similar .  Light continued to pour into them as the suits formed further at a slow pace . It was like some kind of a.s.sembly line, like weaving tapestries . It was incredible to behold .

“That… that’s G.o.d armor!” Everyone stared, wide eyed and speechless .

Why was G.o.d armor being produced down here? Was this some kind of… factory? If that were true then it would explain all these buildings and why they were here .

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