Witchcraft Rising [ONC 2020]

The Ekyceram Prison (side story)

   "I'm here," I stated as I spotted the four sentinels waiting to portal with me to the Ekyceram Prison. They wore the same uniform as Oren, although all of theirs were rougher with age and slightly older, but no less imposing. They all carried weapons of different varieties strapped to their back or sides, but one sentinel that was clearly a warrior warlock bore none. Instead, he had a pair of tattoos on each of his hands that acted as artifacts to amplify his magic.

   Their leader uncrossed his slightly-muscled arms and walked over, towering a good few inches over me so I had to tilt my head back slightly to stare into his dimly-glowing dark-green eyes. "Anything to bring with you?" He asked kindly enough.

   "No, just me."

   He nodded and looked over a shoulder to signal to the only female of the group to create the portal. A ring of white soon appeared and he motioned at me to take my place in the middle of the group.

   The interior of the legendary Ekyceram Prison that had held and still did hold the most dangerous creatures in all of Rinoth rose up into view through the ever-expanding portal. The access levels were mostly above ground, but the most notorious prisoners like Kiroan were held in alcoves carved into the mountain below ground and surrounded by the strongest ward on the continent. I swallowed as shallowly as possible as our destination solidified before us and the first two sentinels stepped through easily.

   The sentinels behind me waited patiently until I gathered my courage and stepped through, remembering to avoid looking directly at the bright ring of the portal. A few seconds and my eyes naturally adjusted to the dimmer setting surrounding us.

   Surprisingly enough, I didn't feel as much dark magic as I thought I would, and I was able to breathe normally as a prison guard teleported directly in front of us in dark-grey metal combat armour and a black cloak that obscured much of it. The only reason I spotted him at all was because of the silver tasset armour and the silver lining on his knee-length cloak. The guard before us removed his black helmet with the gold symbol of the Goddess wrapped around either side and tucked it casually under his arm. A quick hex thrown our way confirmed who we were. His voice when he addressed the head of my escorts was nothing but serious. "Welcome to the Ekyceram Prison. I was told to expect you."

   "Then you know our reason for visitation," the head sentinel replied in the same voice.

   "I do. Remove all your weapons and follow me." We did as he told us to, although I hated to part with my sword and added it to the pile on the ground. The guard pointed at it and all our weapons teleported away to be stored for safekeeping. He suddenly raised his other hand as it swirled with midnight-purple magic and blasted it harmlessly through us.

   I grumbled slightly when I felt my magic within my soul get blocked, but I still had my katopagus bond buried and hidden that the magic miraculously didn't reach. We followed him obediently as we were led through the maze they called a prison, avoiding the prisoner section, until we reached a heavily-guarded grand archway with a glowing gold portal in the middle of it.

   The guards straightened on either side of us as our guide stepped through and we followed. The temperature immediately dropped a few degrees as our breath fogged slightly and the ground below our feet changed to a chilling black. Faint cries and shrieks could be heard all around us as the portal behind closed with the faint sound of a thunderclap.

   Our escort guard glanced over a shoulder. "This way."

   The cries of the imprisoned above and below our path only grew louder as we were led into what I felt was near the heart of the subground prison section. All of the cells here had been specially made for each of its inhabitants.

   I looked over the edge of the wide path we were currently on and peered at one of the closest cells. A monstrous, seething terror demon that must have been hundreds of years old blasted the wards of it's prison with black demonic magic with enough strength to make even me hesitate, but the wards held strong and absorbed the magic with ease. The demon let out a sound part way between a shriek and a roar when the guards around it's cell hefted their gold-tipped spears and shot it with traces of nullifying magic that passed through the wards upon recognition of their magic.

   "Carnel," one of the sentinels suddenly snapped. I stood to attention and swung my gaze back around in front of me.

   A swirling onyx ward that appeared to be a hybrid between wind and liquid whirled around the cell in front of us. I swallowed visibly. Kioran was in there.

   "What is that?" I asked.

   The guard grunted. "The demon's magic is one of the strongest we have in here. We learned early on not to let it speak openly to anyone or to see it's surroundings. It influenced a few of the prisoners that have been here since the start of time into attempting an attack on their guards by breaking the wards on the first day here. We were forced to kill them or to strengthen our watch on the ones that reincarnate. That thing's magic is a force of nature and I'm glad it's gone but it's tongue is the worst of all. This unique ward prevents both of those from causing problems."

   It. That thing. He wasn't even considered a person here. It was true that I didn't really know him and all the crimes he had committed, which was why I needed answers.

   "Can you let me speak to him?" I asked tersely.

   The guard snarled. "Five minutes and no more. I'll let the first ward let you pass through, but his cell has another layer of wards that keeps him contained. Do not approach within two meters and no don't attempt to use magic. We'll be watching on this side."

   I rolled my shoulders. "Got it. Will you be listening?"

   "What you talk about is private but I will be watching."

   I stepped up to the swirling mass of onyx magic and took a deep breath. The guard walked over to the runes controlling passage through and motioned the go sign at me as my sentinel escorts took up places to block the path to anyone else.

   I breathed out and walked through the black vortex, appearing safely on the other side quickly.

   I heard the sound of movement as I assessed the distance between me and the black platform with translucent orange wards a few meters away.

   "Anveya?" that familiar voice said in surprise.

   I raised my blue eyes and immediately became enthralled by a pair of achingly familiar opal ones. They were filled with power even though he wielded none now, and brimmed with authority at knowing he was one of the most dangerous creatures alive.

   Gold chains probably forged by one of the Virtues clamped his hands and legs together, and his towering red-tinged demon wings had been clipped together at the clawed tips. Other than that, he appeared the same as when I had let the sentinels take him away. It was still the same dark grey skin and scales, the same brown hair and horns, and the fact that he was now taller in his demon form. He also appeared to be wearing what was the standard grey prison uniform here.

   Those opal eyes scanned me as I did the same with him. Silence had only lasted for a second before I met those eyes again.

   "Hello, Kioran."

   There was nothing warm in my voice.