Souls Entwined Through Time

A heavy blast of wind exploded out from the tunnel Felicia and Liam were standing in front of. She shielded her face with her hands as her dress smacked into her body. She stumbled back. Liam steadied her and pulled her away from the direct current. He began to lead them further back when Felicia disengaged.

"No!" She screamed. "I have only one chance! I need to see exactly what he is doing!"

"Felicia!" 

Rushing forward, she prepared to enter the tunnel when the infinity symbol appeared directly above her head. Glancing up, spat her hair out of her mouth and tried to push it away from her eyes.

Liam pulled her into his arms again and also looked up.

Alex suddenly dropped from the center of the infinity, which vanished as soon as he appeared. He landed heavily on his feet with the Holy Sword already in his hand, poised to attack.

"Felicia! We need to leave! He's coming! It's a trap! He's been expecting us all along!"

"I know!" She shouted. "I sensed his spell!"

The gale was growing louder and harder. The three of them could barely hear anything outside of the wind blowing in their ears. Even standing was difficult.

Felicia cursed her stupid dress as she relied on Liam keep her upright. If only she had put on her training clothes instead; she could move her legs freely.

Both she and Alex felt a heavy swell of black magic fill the air. The wind suddenly stopped and an eerie silence filled the cavern. 

The three exchanged tense glances as their heavy breathing was the only sound which broke the silence. 

Suddenly, the ground underneath their feet turned into air, sending them plummeting. Felicia's light hands flailed widely as she looked for something to anchor herself. She could hear her brother and Liam calling her name. They hit the ground hard.

Alex instantly jumped to his feet. Somehow he hadn't managed to lose grip over the Holy Sword and it was still in his hands. The symbols etched onto it were glowing.

What was going on with the Holy Sword?

Looking up they realized that they had passed through the stone. Felicia was taken back to the first vision she'd had when she had ghosted through the glass dome of the cathedral before entering who she wasn't aware was herself at the time. Back then, and it was only a few months ago, she had thought it all a dream. And she hadn't known herself to be anyone other than Dixie Demont. 

How had things changed so fast. 

"Where are we?" Liam asked "How many underground chambers are there? We were falling for some time."

"This is the final level," Alex stated. He looked to the left and saw a small back door. Stepping towards it, he nudged it with the tip of the sword. It swung open at once revealing yet another chamber.

One, much larger emanating the heavy scent of blood and rotting flesh.

They three of them stepped inside, gagging slightly.

Although for Alex and Felicia, they were overwhelmed by the foul scent of black magic more so than the physical smell.

"This is it," Felicia observed. "This where the Pope performs the Devil's magic." 

Upon entering, they saw that the circumference of the room was painted with strange, red symbols. They were standing inside a second circle inside the bigger circle. And not just on the ground, but the entire chamber was filled with intricate symbols. All over the walls and ceiling. Some appeared to be carved into the stone. Others looked like they had been painted with blood.

"These are demonic runes," Liam breathed. "I saw such symbols in an old book I'd stumbled across at the Academy."

It was even colder down here and their ears were beginning to hurt like they'd taken a deep dive underwater. Felicia massaged her left ear when she left a dull pop.

Suddenly, the circle lights up, a ring of red mist shoots up from the ground and into the ceiling, trapping them inside a cylinder of dark magic. They watch as the door slams shut from behind the thin, red film which acted as a barrier, preventing them from stepping out of the circle. The door then ripples, slightly, as if it were made out of water before disappearing completely and leaving nothing but a stone wall.

"It was an illusion," Felicia whispered. "There was never a door to begin with. He wanted us to come here."

Alex slashed at the barrier with the Holy Sword. The sound of the impact was that of a Gong being struck. The entire room seemed to shake. Adjusting his grip on the hilt, he raises it over his head and brings it down like a hammer. Each bang weakens the barrier, until the eighth one does the trick and the red wall collapses around them. They quickly step outside of the circle.

The room suddenly felt very hot. The stench of black magic and rotting flesh intensified as the Pope walked out of the rock wall where the door previously was and threw his hands out.

Felicia, Alex and Liam go flying back and slam into the wall. Falling to the ground, they groan in pain.

The Pope laughs and begins chanting. All the symbols on the floor and walls begin to glow with each word he speaks.

Felicia and Liam get trapped inside a blue hourglass which materializes out of thin air. The top half begins to spill green water. It instantly begins to debilitate Felicia's holy powers. She collapses in pain.

"Felicia!" Alex and Liam's voices ring out. Liam kneels down and pulls her upper body onto his lap.

Alex swings his sword at the hourglass, but before he can make contact the Pope sends a long boomerang of black mist directly at his neck. Alex pivots at the last second and dodges. The boomerang bounces off the wall and come back at him. He slices it, causing it to disintegrate into black sand. In the same swing, he strikes the hourglass which shatters before dissolving as well.

The green water splashes onto him. Instantly, he feels his strength wane like a balloon being deflated. A sharp gasp of shock and pain escapes him as blisters form on his hands from where the water splashed him. His sword nearly slips from his grasp.

The Pope's eyes are glowing red. He smiles viciously and blasts him again, but with a red ball of fire. Alex leaps aside and it hits Liam who was pulling Felicia off to the side. The sound of the impact is like the crackling of wood in a fire. Liam goes flying back and slams into the wall. The back of his head cracks upon impact, his spine rattles, his arm breaks from the way it smacks into the wall and three of his ribs shatter. Liam screams in agony, stars spinning in his vision as he hits the ground with a thud. His body twitches and squirms like an ant that was stepped on. His wails fill Felicia's ears like nails on a chalkboard. She screams in horror and tries to crawl over to him. Her fatigue from the green water is intense. It's taking all her strength to stay awake. She tries to use her magic to no avail.

No! No! No! Liam's not supposed to die! Not like this! This is all my fault!

The green water begins to burn her skin as well. She tries to stand up, but her legs barely respond. "What is this?!" She screams at the Pope. "What have you done to me?!"

The Pope opens his mouth to respond when his attention is diverted to Alex who charges at him. Alex didn't know how long his strength would last. He had to take out the threat immediately.