Caves Of Apophis

THE NEXT MORNING, the head Butler of the Emberfall Manor, Corazón Mortimer awakened to find her Lord already up—and she awoke pretty early. She found Rafel seated up on the balcony flowing out his master suite. He had a steaming cup in his hands as he gazed out into the rising dawn. Cora approached the loggia quietly.

"Your Grace, you're awake," she said. "Good Morning."

"Morning, Corazón," Rafel greeted back. "I had the most wonderful sleep last night and in the early hours of this morn, I had a seance call from my Aunt. I have been summoned."

Cora glanced back through the stirring curtains, shipped in from Persepolis' ruins to Eldoria, and found a crystal ball on Rafel's bedside desk still glowing with a [Divine] purple aura. Lilith's color.

Cora moved to his side on the recliner.

"Her Eminence summons you?"

"Yes, I guess enigmas run in the family," Rafel replied. "I am to leave before the sun is three-quarters high in the sky for the Caves of Apophis. It's off the stone cliffs by the—"

"Cold Sea." Cora intelligently finished for him.

"Yes."

"Let me get my pants on. I'm coming with..."

Rafel stopped Cora's haste with a hand as he put the mug back in the saucer. She collected it calmly from him. "I'm sorry, love," said Rafel. "But I must go to the caves alone. There is a reason why the Queen of the Night didn't just show up here."

Cora backed down, but not with her riparian eyes.

"Did Her Eminence say why you have to meet there?"

Rafel shook his head and rose to his feet. "Only that she has someone important for me to meet. You know the caves of Apophis come a close second to delivering the same infernal energy of the Underworld. Aunt Lilith always tries her best to be in Hel, even when she's not in it. I will go with Menelaus. Perhaps, she will have mercy on the poor Ghostrider and take him back with her," he said. "Can I count on you to ensure Ravenna and Annabelle don't skip on their veggie smoothies?"

Cora smiled then. She bowed as squires did.

"Most certainly, Your Grace. Those bitches are way too skinny for comfort."

Rafel chuckled with her, "I won't be long, my dear."

He kissed the top of her nose below her cute silver glasses and then the side of her head before walking away. Cora heard the sound of a shutting door and a shower fount begin. Silently, she moved back into the opulent bedchamber and padded for the walk-in closet. There, she chose for her Lord a grand and comfortable [Adventurer] tunic suitable for riding in free country, but also for meeting with a Hell Principality, and whomever else the Queen of the Night was bringing along.

Rafel collected a brown felt hat from Cora just as the sun's first rays shimmered in through the Manor's ecclesiastical windows. He started into the dazzling hallway and out the landing. Menelaus was already waiting outside the mansion with one of the splendorous carriages.

"Godspeed, Your Grace." Cora waved him off.

Menelaus drove the horses with speed and grace through the alpine paths that led away from Emberfall but they didn't reach the Capitol until it was high noon. Thankfully, the sun of winter was mild on the earth. Their journey continued outward through the busy trading streets of the Eldorian polis past the gilded gates and watchtowers guarding the continent's imperial stronghold and further south toward the Cold Sea.

It chimed half past three on Rafel's antique watch when he finally spotted the dry beaches from the buggy's window. Menelaus took the upward drive that led up the road to the Bell Tower. He finally halted the carriage just beside the impressive stone bulwark.

Rafel climbed out and looked around.

He smelled brine and seaweed. Between he and a deadly 300ft plunge into dark sloshing water was just about a yard. Like nothing was wrong, he calmly walked to the cliff's edge. The sea's gale sent his black cape rising like a cloud behind him and for a moment, it seemed her would turn back and walk away. But then, he jumped.

SWOOOOOSSHHHH!

It was the sound of rushing wind in Rafel's ears. He went plummeting down the cliff. A few anglers rocking the dark shores lifted up their eyes to gawp at his descent. But just when it seemed he would have a bad fall, a dead drop to death, Rafel drew on infernal mana from his core. A crimson aura spooked many an eye as it enveloped him. He floated in the air in flames.

He stopped midway down the cliff. It was so steep the only creatures who habited this side of the Cold Sea were the gulls and giant worms they ate.

Turning as a huge ball of fire, Rafel flew to the nearest opening in the plutonic black rock, swift as a rocket. Those below on the beaches beheld him as burning streak vanish into the caves.

Limestone and craters of green gems filled Rafel's vision as he lay suspended inside the cooler air for a second. The tunnels stretched to infinity, lit in eerie glows of the many treasure stones within so that it was lit like a chapel of the Martyr's monks.

"Nice entrance!"

Rafel heard a lilting voice greet from his side.

He turned his head, still floating in the air with red flames at his feet. The all too seductive form of his dear Aunt met his eyes. Rafel stopped pulling on mana and the fires burned out. He landed on his feet and moved to hug Lilith.

"It's been a while, Auntie."

She rubbed his head in her embrace and didn't stop him when he boldly kissed her cleavage through the open dip in her top. It was a circular hole that granted sight of the press of her generous breasts. A fashion. Lilith's long purple nails played in his crimson hair as she sighed into their embrace.

She pulled back to look at him.

"Yes, dear Israfel. I've been gone many months. You are skinnier than the last time I saw you. Do I have to visit that gloomy estate of yours again?"

"Auntie?" Rafel frowned.

"Pfft," she blew him off. "You don't get to be cold with me. I heard about your victory against the Nephilims though. Hel celebrates you as we speak. You make us proud about the mortals even. Your Uncles are planning something huge for your nineteenth, but we all know my presents are always the best." She winked knowingly at him.

Rafel peered down her revealing bodice. She was wearing green today.

"You like?"

Rafel nodded like a saint caught in the light of his Savior.

Lilith took his hand. "Come with me, my Apollyon. Come meet someone."

The vibrant auras of the stone chambers cast their shadows on the glowing gems and stalks of rock that emitted light of its own. The caves of Apophis held the residual [Divine] spirit cores of the children of gods that once called this mountain their home. They didn't need torches to see as Lilith led the way deeper into unmarked territory.

They seemed to come to a dead end but she lifted a perfect blushed hand and touched her palm on the cold rock.

The very stone of the cliff rumbled under their feet. Rafel felt a quaking under him and the mighty wall blocking their path grated inwards, shifting and parting in the middle like a gate.

"Come on," Lilith grinned at his look.

He stepped through with her and the stone blockade closed back up.

"We're here!" Lilith said with pride.

Rafel's eyes enlarged when he looked away from the massive stone behind to this new chamber and he understood the reason for his aunt's wistful tone. The area they stood in was a great cavern with enough space to rival the Eldorian Throne room at the Capitol. It was furnished in precious sapphire and ruby gems. They glinted like fat lamps from the high ceiling forty feet up above their heads and shone raw color as pebbles scattered beautifully around the great chamber.

The [Divine] magic within sang to Rafel like fire in his bones. He could feel his [Mana Core] being charged, empowered, grown, caressed by the light of whatever [Ninth Lunar Circle] panjandrum that had once lived here.

Stalagmites tall as trees in the outside world branched up with petals that grew diamonds. Their large stalks were chunks and pillars of rhinestone. This impressive gigantic cavern was as priceless as it was beautiful. Rafel could not stop looking around.

The entire luminance of the chamber came from its own jewels. The floors of it sparkled with a clear ivory pattern, not stone but white gold. It was an enchanting thing to see. Floor and ceiling melded in a sea of colors. And Rafel stood awash in the ethereal rainbows. This had to be the real Cave of Apophis.

"Your guess is right, dearest nephew," Lilith said from beside him. The chamber was so wide he heard her voice as if she stood in another room.

His eyes narrowed and his Aunt quickly held up her hand and explained.

"No, I did not read your mind—only your face. The original name for this place is CUBILE DRACONIS, translated in from the Fae tongue as Lair of the Dragon, further milked down by mortals to the Cave of Apophis: for so they named the primordial [Lightning Dragon] that had called this place home. She was one of the Old gods and revered as a pillar of the universe. This, was her lair."

Rafel peered around the splendor again. That explained the sheer amount of rare gemstones. A dragon's loot. And one of the firsts at that. But... Rafel asked question in his head aloud.

"What happened to Apophis?"

Lilith's answer was simple.

"She transcended."

She chuckled when Rafel looked to her for more explanation. But she indulged him.

"You always were a curious child. Alas, the mortal realm can become sort of tiny for magical creatures as magnificent as [Elemental Dragons]. They exist in higher planes of unlimited power and infinite pools of mana use. Apophis had to leave this world for the bugger universe if she wanted to survive. The planet she colonized had become her prison."

"Just like you did," Rafel added in a whisper.

"Yes. Mortals think we avoid earth because we are not welcome here. That's one way to look at it. A stupid one! We rarely come here because the level of [Supernatural] potency is low and weakens us to the level of [Ephemera], which is why the angels stay exactly where they are—in the heavens. Not because they necessary want to. But they have to. You stay enough here among mortals..."

"...and you become one." Rafel coarsed out.

"Exactly!" Lilith grinned at his quick mind.

She waved her hand as if swatting a fly. "—but enough about dragons and the fucking universe. That is not why I brought you here. I want you to meet someone. . ."

Lilith's words hung in the air like spider's silk. And out from a glowing orb of fuchsia, a shapely woman stepped into the wonderful light. She was exquisitely made. Her beauty was stark, out there, and her eyes were shiny spools of light. She began walking for them.

Rafel had come across many beautiful women. But what held his eyes was her complexion.

The woman had red skin.

Before he could ask, Lilith excitedly offered.

"Meet Hèla, goddess of war."