Silence fell over the group as they waited. Relma saw they felt a sense of dread, but she felt nothing. She set about looking for anyone else who was hurt. As she did, everyone looked to Varsus more than Relma. That irritated Relma, though she knew it really shouldn't.

"What now?" asked Fayn.

"We make a stand," said Varsus. "The longer we hold them back, the more trouble we'll cause for their forces."

"Wonderful work, Relma!" said Fayn.

"What were you thinking, dragging the satyrs down on us?" asked Estela.

"Forget it, Estela," said Reginald with a smile. "It was a calculated risk. And I'm game to kill a few hundred before I die. Something about this place gets my blood pumping.

"I've killed five already," He looked to Estela. "How many did you kill?"

"Three," said Estela.

"Six," said Fayn. "Not to mention the ones I set on fire."

"Nicely done," said Varsus. "Still, we lost a few men in the fighting. It happens. We have the bodies over there. We'll see about giving them rights later."

Why were they all so calm about this? Many seemed in good spirits. "...I didn't mean things to turn out like this," said Relma.

"Well, you certainly managed it nonetheless," said Aunt Pan.

"Perhaps we can surrender?" suggested De Cathe.

"What good will that do us?" asked Estela.

"We have many illustrious names among us," said De Cathe. "If we can secure a surrender from Lucius, perhaps some of us may live."

"Unacceptable," said Aunt Pan. "The Heir of Kings must not fall into his hands."

"Do you have any brilliant ideas, Pandora?" asked Fayn. "Or are you just going to shoot down other people's?"

"I do have one," said Aunt Pan. "Relma, I will need your help with this. Give me your hand, and draw Lightning Trail."

Relma drew the blade and saw that the light had returned to it. She took Aunt Pan's hand and was led over to the wall. Aunt Pan put a hand to the bare wall.

"What are we going to do?" asked Relma.

"I'm going to open a way through Turmoil, the dimension of limitless potential," said Aunt Pan. "It will be difficult, and we may intersect with hell. But if all goes well, we can create a new passage out of here."

"By all means, do so," said Varsus. "If you can't, we'll die well."

"Dying is not among my priorities," muttered Estela.

Pandora said nothing. She closed her eyes, and Relma felt the energy drawn from Lightning Trail into her. Then it flowed into Pandora. The power surged into the walls, and the walls seemed to fade away to reveal a new path. One tiled with white stones.

"Come on, follow my lead," said Aunt Pan. "There will be things within this place you do not understand. Ignore them and don't think about them.

"Relma, help me form a shield."

"A shield?" asked Relma.

"Yes," said Pandora. "We will create a shield around our forces so they don't see outside of it. We'll have to look at what lies beyond, but they don't have to.

"Varsus, ready your men to follow closely behind me. Make sure no one falls behind."

"As you wish, Lady Pandora," said Varsus.

Pandora looked at her. "Now, Relma, focus your power. Imagine a mist rising around us, hiding our gaze from the monsters beyond."

Relma obeyed, focusing her power. As the others clustered around them, Relma was instructed by Pandora. Little by little, a massive shield of white energy formed around them, and Pandora led them down the passage. Soon enough, the stones faded away, and they were walking on a smooth surface of many colors. It became translucent, and beyond, Relma saw a strange void. It was not so much nothing as unformed. Nothing was formed, but there was limitless potential. Little by little, as they traveled, Relma became aware of warm light. It became brighter and brighter above her, but at the same time, it did not hurt the light.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"What is that light? It's beautiful," said Relma.

Pandora smiled. "You'll see it soon enough.

"What you are looking at is the heavenly domains of the gods. Each one has a different god who rules over it." Then Relma did see it. A great city, or perhaps a world. It was indescribable to her, a place of flowing fountains and elaborate streets. There were great cities and vast forests. And at the center was a great mountain, more prominent than a continent. It seemed to be everything all at once but with no contradictions. As if this place was the sum of all existence.

"There, on that peak, is the mountain of Elranor," said Aunt Pan.

"Have you been there?" asked Relma.

"Of course not," said Aunt Pan. "One goes there by dying.

"Careful, we are near another kind of enemy. Don't look; focus your will through Lightning Trail. Focus on the shield."

Relma did so. "How far do we have to go?" She felt reluctant to leave. "I don't really want to leave here. I feel like I'm coming home."

"I'm not sure yet," admitted Pandora. "This place does not work the same way as the real world. We are almost entirely in the spirit world now."

Little by little, they passed beyond it. The city or whatever it was passed from sight. The light faded, and darkness came. But the night was not a void but a place of twisted potential. There were strange clouds within it that pained her eyes. Every so often, she could hear things, strange voices in the dark.

"What is this place, Aunt Pan?" asked Relma.

"Hell is drawing near to us," said Pandora. "Focus your will, and harden your heart. Whatever you see, whatever you hear, do not allow it to reach you."

"I know," said Relma, feeling a lump in her throat.

Pandora looked to her with a strange look. "...You do, don't you?"

On they walked, and soon they began to see other cities. But where the one they'd seen before was whole and unified, these were places of conflict. Wars were fought on them as strange, monstrous creatures tore at one another. These things were real, but it was like they had taken creation and bent it to their will.

"So those are the hells," said Relma.

"Yes," said Aunt Pan. "The domain of all evil."

On they went, and then Relma saw something strange. It looked like a vast abyss stretching out in every direction around them. It seemed more significant than anything else, yet she could see the entire thing. Innumerable lights of every color and nature were always flowing into it. "And that? What is that?"

"The Soul Event Horizon," said Pandora. "All who go beyond that last barrier never return." "I'm afraid, Aunt Pan," said Relma, realizing it was true. "I've never been afraid." Never in her entire life had she been terrified. She had felt concerned but never afraid.

"Oh, what a remarkable revelation, dearie," said a sharp voice. "You flatter me, really."

Relma looked up, and then the walls of their path seemed to shift. From all sides came hundreds upon hundreds of spiders outside the shield. Varsus and his warriors seemed in a trance and took no notice. The spiders tore at the shield and parted as their leader came forward. What Relma saw had the lower body of an immense spider. Yet her upper body was that of a beautiful, incredibly curvaceous, elven woman. She had violet hair and sharp features to the bottom of her neck, and her teeth were sharp.

"Rioletta," said Pandora.

"Yes indeed, darling, it is I in new flesh," said Rioletta, raising a hand to reveal chitinous violet claws. Each one held threads of silk reaching behind into her spider body. This was the goddess of weaving? "I saw you going through turmoil, and I thought I might weave a few webs."

"What do you want here?" asked Pandora.

"Want?" asked Rioletta. "Why, nothing from you directly. Merely entertainment at the expense of others. Lucius asked me for a favor; he was always such a nice fellow. Like an uncle to us, really. He helped restore my strength after that insufferable Ictargo interrupted my date.

"Now, hand over the Heir of Kings."

"Or what?" asked Aunt Pan.

"I'm sure you can learn that for yourself, darling," said Rioletta.

Other shapes appeared in the darkness. And they were not within the passage but outside it. Vast shadowy things with fleshy exteriors. Like a thousand vast beasts that had merged and then grown extra mouths. Energy coursed through the ships.

"Dark elven vessels," said Pandora.

There would be no escape through battle. So why wasn't Relma worried?

"You made very fast progress through turmoil," said Rioletta. "But we expected you to take that route once you were cornered. It was foolish to reveal yourself so. Lightning Trail can shield many things, but against myself and Lucius, when do we know what to look for?

"Hardly."

Phantoms came forth from the mouths of the vessels, like elves but not elves. There was nothing physical about them. The air seemed to scream as they went through it, staring at them with sunken eyes of flame.

"My dear elven servants will have a wonderful time devouring you all. And after my web have covered you...

"You will be my servants."

"If you think we'll be bought cheaply, you are wrong," said Pandora. "I am not defenseless."

"Oh, I'm sure you won't," said Rioletta. "But the losses I sustain will only make the prey much more delicious. Perhaps I can bargain that Varsus fellow for William? He seemed the self-sacrificial type, and I'd love to pick up where we left off last time."

"What if I give up?" asked Relma suddenly.

Rioletta glanced up, obviously not expecting that. "Hmm?"

"If I yield myself to you, will you grant my companions safe passage through the turmoil of your realm?" asked Relma.

Rioletta paused and thought about it. "No, probably not."

"Oh," said Relma.

"Whenever a pure-hearted person gets self-sacrificial, they always get saved," said Rioletta.

"Maybe it's a technicality or a sudden rescue, but it's generally not worth the effort to make deals with them.

"Much simpler just to kill you all."

"What if I swear on Lightning Trail?" asked Relma.

Rioletta stared at her. "I'm sorry?"

"You can't do that," said Pandora.

"I will go with you to Lucius," said Relma. "If I cheat you or betray the spirit of our deal in any way, I will relinquish all rights to Lightning Trail. That way, even if I escape, I'll be no threat to Lucius, and you'll still be able to benefit."

Rioletta raised a finger and considered it. "Now, that is a rather remarkable suggestion. I've never heard of oathbreakers getting bailed out of their problems?

"Not in any satisfying stories anyway."

"Relma, you can't do this-" said Pandora.

"We'll all die otherwise, Aunt Pan," said Relma. Then she looked to Rioletta and drew the sword.

"But, you, Rioletta, must swear on Lightning Trail yourself. Swear that you will not break our deal and bring harm, directly or indirectly, to my companions."

"Well, that takes all the fun out of our deal, doesn't it?" muttered Rioletta. "Very well. I shall swear not to harm them until I've brought you to Del Gabor. Give me the sword."

"I'll hold it," said Relma as she went forward and offered the pommel.

Rioletta grasped hold of it and seemed to flinch at the touch. "I swear on all the above terms."

"Relma, this is madness," said Pandora. But she was visibly tired.

Relma brought the sword and offered it to her. "Take the sword, Aunt Pan. You can use it in my stead, and if I don't come back, give it to Estela."

"But-" began Pandora.

Then Rioletta grabbed Relma by the neck with her claws, and her vision and hearing faded. "No more goodbyes, darling," said Rioletta. "We go to Del Gabor."

How was Relma going to talk her way out of this one?