Supernatural Taxes

44) Apologies to avian readers for the fowl language

They were shivering on a windy concrete plane, visibility and core body temperature were low because of the swathes of water vapour blowing past.

They flew up the elevator shaft for quite a while without a hitch, unexpectedly there weren't any barriers to getting out, there was just a bright hole at the top. They swooped out –and were hit by a cacophony of bird cries. Hundreds of them, all hidden in the opaque mist, their broomstick was bounced about for a few dozen meters until they crash landed, the elevator shaft was out of sight.

"Where is this place?" Shouted Nora over the dinge, she was two meters away and on the edge of Atla's vision.

"I think I know. Thanos?" No answer, "Thanos?"

Atla and Nora stuck close as they explored this strange terrain, stumbling and calling after Thanos regularly. It was like a floor in an office building had been bulldozed off leaving a tiled floor and messy remains of concrete walls between rooms.

The bird cries intensified, a flock was approaching. Atla and Nora crouched down and covered their ears as a conspiracy of ravens flitted by, racing downwind. "This is that floor near the top that makes clouds like a smoke machine, right? But w-why's it so w-weird?" They were both soaked.

"I-items, Items!" Atla waved her hand, nothing, "Because we're not supposed to be here," she shouted, "We've got to find Thanos and beat the boss below us. There'll be a teleporter or something to take us to the top." They kept looking.

***

"Atla!" Thanos answered.

"Over here!"

Thanos's silhouette approached, they could see him now –then he passed them. "Run, the boss is coming!"

Atla sprinted pulling Nora along, "What boss, we're not in the Tower of Darkness."

"All the more reason to skedaddle, before –oh dear, it's here."

A shadow swooped overhead and landed in front of them, Atla could feel the floor tremor.

"Mother of ravens..." Nora muttered.

The bird was twice Atla's height and many times scarier. It let out a deafening and angry cry that agitated the normal ravens –it's children most likely. Atla started hyperventilating, this raven would kill her.

"Wh-what do we do Atla?"

Nora's question didn't register, Atla's breathing was shallow and her head light. The Raven cried out again, just as angry and accustory.

"Um, hello Mr"

"—CAW!"

"Mrs! Mrs Raven." Nora gulped then continued, "We're very very sorry for intruding in your territory. We were climbing this tower to fight Lod –the Lord of Darkness– on the floor above but we got, uh, lost."

"We don't want to intrude in your wonderful territory for too long, we'll leave immediately –if you'll forgive us that is."

"Caw," Raven sounded haughty and expectant.

Nora looked puzzled for a moment then said, "I mean: please forgive us!" and topped it off with a bow.

Raven seemed less inclined to kill her, then looked to Atla. Nora, kicked kicked her shin, that snapped Atla out of her daze. She made a passable bow but bit her tongue and said, "Please forgib ush."

Atla, paled, Nora winced, Raven was unconvinced, the scene burst into motion. Thanos and Raven both flew for Atla who dived away from Nora but was still caught in Raven's claws.