Chapter 3: Abaddon

Obtaining the Onyx Reliquary wasn’t the most difficult or dangerous assignment that Alyssa had ever taken, but there had been something that made her feel uneasy about the temple and the echoes of the violence which took place there. Fortunately, the way down the mountain gave her time to process such things in relative peace, although she still heard the occasional bellows and screeches of animals in the distance. A shiver crawled up her spine; she couldn’t wait to get out of the realm, although where she was going wasn’t exactly paradise or necessarily even more pleasant than this realm was.

She reached the bottom of the mountain, and off to the side was the entrance to cave. As she stepped inside, the coolness that brushed against her skin was instantaneous and she began wishing the portal had been placed outside in the sunlight. For practical reasons, most keystone portals were placed in areas across all realms that beings could enter and exit in relative privacy and have a modicum of protection as they do it. On more occasions that she cared to remember, Alyssa had to fight her way through a surprise ambush, or a defensive perimeter that had been set up around various portals. In order to avoid problems like this, some individuals set up their own keystone portals on realms that they frequented, but it was a time-consuming process and required a very talented person of magic to get it right. After all, nobody wanted a fatal accident to occur while shifting through realms.

In the center of the cave on a circular pedestal was a gray stone arch about eight feet tall, and approximately 6 feet wide at its largest point. Ancient script had been chiseled all across the arch which had various precious stones embedded in it like rubies, emeralds, diamonds, pearls and sapphires. Crowning the top of the arch was a large moonstone in the shape of an orb, which when the portal was activated would glow white hot and it was the magical element that brought together all of the other embedded gems, stone and script that would allow a user to summon a door to another realm. Only keystone portals such as this one could be used to shift between realms, but most competent magical users could create portals within a realm to travel, provided there weren’t any enchantments or spells blocking that from happening.

Alyssa stepped up to the portal and placed her hand on the stone, “Take me to Abaddon,” she said firmly and all of the gems lit up on the portal growing brighter and brighter each moment. The moonstone then burst into a fiery white glow and the space in-between the arch sparked and cracked then became an almost viscous light blue transparent pool of a viscous liquid. Without hesitation, she stepped through the portal and felt as she was fighting her way through heavy mud and then her eyes were assaulted with bright light and a breeze which was hot and dry; she had arrived at the Abaddon Realm.

It was a dry and arid place, and it was mostly unpopulated; the Solar Prime Order was dominantly spread across the whole of the realm which was another reason why beings generally didn’t prefer dwelling in such a realm. There were vast plains punctuated with mountains, volcanoes, and places where there were nothing but massive sinkholes for miles and miles; filled with not only dust and sand, but creatures that would terrify the bravest and strongest warrior. Alyssa hadn’t been to the realm before she accepted the assignment, and she doubted very much that she’d ever return once she received her payment and delivered the reliquary.

As she stepped down from the portal, she was surprised that there wasn’t transportation to take her to the monastery like there had been before, but the sounds of rapidly flapping wings and loud hissing drew her attention upwards. Rapidly descending towards her were a small swarm of grells, which had razor sharp claws, piercing fangs, leathery ash colored skin, and blood red eyes. Despite being small and more of a pest, in vast numbers though they could easily overwhelm their prey and kill it before carrying it away to their brood nest and feasting on it with their young.

Alyssa leapt out of the path of the approaching grells and landed with a “thud” on the dirt, and as she rolled over two of the creatures were just feet away from her face. With a swift wave of her hand a whirlwind of sand and dust beat them back, but even as she quickly stood to her feet three more were attacking her. One grabbed at her arm while the another scratched at her leg and third went for her other arm; all together the creatures knocked her back down and her satchel fell from around her shoulder into the dust. The reliquary rolled out of the satchel, and immediately one of the creatures attempted to grab it, but she turned the creature into a pile of dust. She then fiercely kicked the grell attacking her leg off, and then turned the remaining one into dust.

“Bloody creatures, just what you deserved.” Alyssa said with exasperation. Bloodied and scratched up, she was beyond fed up with the little winged creatures, which had retreated and were assembling for another attack at her. She waved her right arm and softly spoke a few words, “I banish thee, I banish thee; from time and space and forever more,” and a black hole appeared in the space before her. All of the grells were drawn in towards the whirling black hole despite their desperate attempt to flee, but there was nothing they could but hiss and scream until every last one vanished into the black hole which then closed leaving a deafening silence behind.

Once she was certain that there were no more remaining grells, Alyssa breathed a sigh of relief. She retrieved the reliquary and placed back in her satchel, and while she was at it removed a canteen of water and guzzled down about half of the liquid inside. Feeling refreshed, she tended her wounds which were predominantly scratches and some bites, but fortunately all of them were superficial.

“Alright, now that’s all done, let get this over with.” Alyssa said as she was ready to move on to the monastery. She grabbed a handful of dust, and closing her eyes blew it into the air. Slowly a dark brown horse took shape in front of her and once fully formed began neighing and kicking, as if it was adjusting to its new body. She climbed onto the horse and kicking her heels rode off across the plain towards a cluster of mountains in the distance, and as she grew closer and closer, she could see the tall spires of the Solar Prime Order’s monastery. Oddly enough it seemed more foreboding than it did during her last visit, and she hoped that wasn’t prophetic of what was to come.