A Circuit of Time: Book Two of Spark (A MPHFPC Fanfiction)

Chapter Twelve

It was a maze built inside a cliff.

Wherever they went, viridescent light followed. Small basins filled with glowing green liquid lit up to illuminate the space as they passed, each containing the half-decomposing skeleton of a bird submerged inside.

On the wall were carvings of various birds and plant life, the species of some even Miss Bittern couldn't recognize.

The ymbryne led them after the call of souls only she could decipher. They took so many turns that Emma wondered whether they would even know how to leave this place after getting what they came here for. This place was probably intentionally designed this way to trap unworthy intruders so only an ymbryne can reach the treasure hidden in this loop.

Too bad now that their enemy had ymbrynes, too, she thought.

They heard multiple explosions followed by one that shook the ground they were standing on.

"What's that?" John asked.

"Part of the loop?" Ethan suggested.

"No." Olive said, "That sounds like rockets."

"Someone is firing rockets in this loop?" Miss Bittern said as she realized in horror.

"The wights are here!" Emma said.

They started running. Miss Bittern hurried them after her with new intensity.

A few minutes later, in the darkness a distance behind them, the basins glowed up again with green light.

*

Five black vans arrived at the location of the loop entrance.

Lieutenant Wang came forward to greet the newcomers.

"Agent Llywelyn," he said, "We have it all under control here."

"I see." Isabelle replied, "I'm here representing Emperor Caul to take what's rightfully his."

"Sorry, but under President Gullveig's order, we can't let you-"

Before he could finish, Isabelel shot him in the chest.

"Attack!" the liutenant screamed before Isabelle silenced him with another bullet and retreated back into the van.

Valeria's soldiers fired at the vans, but no one returned fire.

Then three other vans drove behind Valeria's soldiers and released thrity hollowgasts into their ranks.

In the chaos, Caul's troops started shooting back at Valeria's soldiers from behind the covers their vehicles provided.

A few of Valeria's soldier attempted to use their peculiarity, but found they couldn't do it. As if someone switched off the function of their peculiar soul.

It went on for a few minutes, Valeria's soldiers were the best among the Peculiar Liberation Army, handpicked by the chairwoman herself for this operation. But they were no match against Caul's Suul enhanced peculiar soldiers and hollowgasts with bulletproof armor. Eventually they wiped out Valeria's people with minimal casualties on their side.

After the battle, their loop diviner found the entrance, and the soldier with ymbryne's power led them in.

*

They couldn't see the enemies nor the light accompanying them due to the labyrinth of the tunnels twisting and turning every ten meters. But they could still hear their footsteps, echoing, getting louder and closer by each second.