Law of the Jungle

Law of the Jungle is the second book in The Agori Kal Saga. It tells the story of the Agori Kal's final Order of Mata Nui training mission.

Author's Note
This book is a work in progress, but so far it's turning out much better than The Ways Entwine.

Part I
Prologue

Thousands of years before the Great Spirit Mata Nui was thrown into slumber by his jealous brother, Makuta Teridax, hundreds of years before the formation of the Order of Mata Nui, a secret organization dedicated to completing the will of Mata Nui, indeed, even before Mata Nui began to explore the stars, three Agori and a Bone Hunter set foot in the Great Spirit Robot. The Bone Hunter was their leader. His body and armor were tough and battle-scarred, and his black blade had tasted the blood of many a foe. He had been a pirate, a thief, and a murderer, but he had found something within himself that made him realize that it was not his place. He had a deep desire to be one about which tales would be told around a campfire, one who's name, Roden, could be spoken with respect. He wanted to be a hero. His deputy was a former Sand Tribe Agori, strange but deadly. His name was Jallar, but he never said more about himself and his past, save in rare moments. He loved machines, and the machines seemed to love him back, if it were possible. Zora was the medic of the team, and a good one, too, but her sparkling blue eyes hid a skill in battle that was equal to any of her fellow Ice Agori. She was young and pretty, but she was also wise enough to know that knowledge and wit are far more powerful than strength and skill, and she was well able to use this to calm the anger that often raged between Jallar and the young Fire Agori, Priduk. Priduk was an inexperienced warrior, but he possessed the talent and speed needed, though he suffered from lack of confdence in his own abilities. He was an excellent driver, though nowhere near Jallar's class. Not that he wanted to be like Jallar, anyway. Roden was more his type, and Priduk was in awe of his veteran leader. It was these four that left the world of Spherus Magna to learn the ways of the Matoran Universe. And learn them they did. The team remained together for many weeks, until time sent them their separate ways. For several hundred years, they lived in different places around the Southern Continent, becoming scholars and scientists. Then Roden was contacted by a Toa of Water named Helryx, and everything changed. The four were accepted into the Order of Mata Nui, and were trained by one of the Order members, a tall warrior named Trinuma. Like most servants and members of the Order, they also received mental shielding and protosteel weapons and armor, though Jallar refused to give up his acid blade. He did, however, accept the offer of an identical protosteel copy of it. The three Agori and the Bone Hunter were surprised to find how little of warfare they knew, compared to other Order members. Nevertheless, they threw their all into their training, and were soon able to accomplish tasks that would stagger the average Toa. They did it without the aid of elemental powers, but they were soon to realize just how useful a few extra powers can be. But that is to come. For now, the four will have to rely on their wits, skill, and teamwork. But teamwork and wits can only do so much.

Chapter 1: The Mission Begins

Zora flipped the robotic drone over her head with her protosteel trident. It hit the ground hard, and exploded in a shower of sparks. At the edge of the arena, Trinuma nodded slowly. "Very good," he muttered to himself. "She has learned much. More speed, more grace."

His hands moved moved on the control board. Instantly, three more robotic spider-like drones moved into the arena. Zora was among them before their visual receptors sensed her change in location. She thrust her trident into the leg of one of the drones, and twisted it, snapping the leg off at the knee joint. Sparks flew. The second drone lunged forward, snapping its jaws menacingly. Zora vaulted over the machine's back, and sent it head-first into the third drone with her boot. With mechanical hisses, the two drones began to untangle themselves, but Zora sent the sharp points of her trident slamming into the metal skull of a drone, then gave the other a sharp blow with the handle that sent it slamming to the floor in a shower of sparks. Two drones were lying on the ground in a cloud of smoke and sparks. The third drone was crippled and unable to move fast enough to be a danger to the Ice Agori. Zora smiled and twirled her trident cockily, then walked over to the raised seat where Trinuma sat at the control board. "Very good." said Trinuma. "Fifteen percent better than last time." The nine-foot warrior rose to his feet. "That's enough for today. Now let's go see the rest of my trainees. I have an announcement to make." He and Zora walked out of the practice room and down a long hallway to Trinuma's quarters. Inside, Roden and Jallar were sparring playfully. When they entered, Roden turned to Trinuma. "Now what's this you were- Hey!" He broke off suddenly, as Jallar sent the unsuspecting Bone Hunter's blade spinning out of his hand. Jallar grinned. "You are getting slow, brother. If you had been paying attention, it would never have happened." Roden glared at him, then smiled and shook his head. "Where's Priduk?" he asked. "He's coming." answered Trinuma. Roden nodded. Priduk entered a short time later. He glanced at his comrades, and sat down beside Trinuma. "Now," began Trinuma. "I have an important announcement to make. You have all done very well in your training, and Helryx has decided that you are ready for one of the most difficult missions in the training of an Order member." "The mission is this," he continued. "We will be taken to a jungle island in the south. I will receive a one day head-start, and it will be your task to capture me within five days. If you fail, you will train some more and try again. If you succeed, you will be able to say that you have accomplished one of the most difficult tasks in Order training. Any questions?" The four trainees glanced at each other. Priduk raised his hand. "Do we get a map of the island?" he asked. "I'm afraid not. You will, however, get Rhotuka launchers for each of you, and food and medical supplies for a week. It goes without saying that you will also have your basic melee weapons." "Will we probably need the medical supplies?" asked Zora anxiously. "There is always the possibility of accidents." replied Trinuma. "This an uninhabited island, so there are dangerous Rahi and rough terrain. Also, I am allowed to set non-lethal traps, though they can give you some pretty severe injuries if you don't keep your eyes open." "Sounds... challenging." said Roden. "When do we leave?" "Tomorrow."

Chapter 2: Island of Danger

Roden's scarlet eyes traveled slowly over the forbidding landscape of the island that was emerging out of the mist in front of the ship. As the boat traveled closer, Roden was able to make out details of giant trees and jagged rocks around the flanks of the extinct volcano. The volcanic mountain was what had formed the island, many years ago. One side of it sloped sharply down to end in jagged cliffs and a narrow strip of beach. The other side was covered in stunted vines and bushes that grew larger and more common as it sloped down to the shining ocean. When the ground became level, giant trees and several jagged stalagmite-like rock towers pushed up from the earth, forming a rough landscape that was hidden by jungle undergrowth. The whole island was covered in mist that hung gloomily around the vast cone of the long-dead volcano. Jallar walked up beside Roden. "Pretty gloomy, no?" said the Sand Agori. Roden nodded silently. "It's not too bad, actually." he replied. "The trees and rocks are big enough where they don't pose much of a problem. It's what's under all that underbrush that worries me." Jallar shrugged. "It can't be too bad, if this is a volcanic island. From what I've heard, volcanoes don't have much for big animals." "That's young islands. This is an old one." Jallar said nothing, but his eyes sharpened behind his odd helmet.

A few hours later, the ship was riding at anchor in a small cove at the base of the jagged cliffs. In the cabin, Trinuma was instructing the trainees in the use of hand-held, rapid-fire Rhotuka launchers. When he had finished, he picked up his pack of food and supplies and walked to the bow of the ship. Roden followed him, with the Agori close behind. Trinuma paused, and glanced at his pupils. "I will go now." he said. "Remember, once you begin to track me, you have only five days." The tall warrior hit the water in a perfect dive. He rose to the surface and begin to swim towards the beach with long, smooth strokes. When he reached the shallows, he rose, dripping, to his feet and splashed the rest of the way to shore. He shook the water from his mask, looked back once, and then plunged into the maze of rock. When he was out of sight, Roden looked at his team. "Let's try out these Rhotuka launchers, shall we?" he suggested. Zora nodded eagerly, and began to channel her energies into the launcher. Her team-mates watched silently. The Rhotuka quickly began to form, and was complete within moments. Zora looked at the wheel of pure energy with pride. "It's so beautiful that it seems a pity to use it." she sighed. The Rhotuka was indeed very beautiful, glowing a deep sea-blue in the rays of the rising sun. Zora made it catch the light, and it shimmered as if it were alive. Jallar tapped his foot impatiently. "Hurry up." he grumbled. Zora stepped to the rail and aimed the Rhotuka at a stunted bush at the water's edge. The wheel of power shot silently through the air, and hit the plant. Instantly, the bush's stunted leaves seemed to grow and became a vivid, healthy green. The bush itself seemed to stretch and thicken. In a few brief moments, the stunted bush became a healthy, thriving plant, stretching its leaves towards the light. Roden blinked. Zora gasped in delight. "It made it healthier!" she cried. "Wonderful. Now you're the best medic in all of the Matoran Universe. Are you happy?" said Jallar, with a bit of rare sarcasm. "Of course I'm happy! Now you try, Jallar." Jallar squinted at the energy flowing into his launcher. It was a dark red, streaked with black. When the Rhotuka was fully formed, Jallar held it up to the light. Zora's smile faded. Roden's eyes sharpened. The Rhotuka was glowing, but it was a glow with an air of evil menace. It reminded Roden of the glow in the eyes of a Rahkshi he had once seen. "Not as pretty as Zora's, is it?" said Jallar. He aimed and fired at a boulder on the beach. The large rock exploded violently, sending rock fragments hurtling through the air. Roden ducked to avoid a lump of stone as big as his head, and looked at Jallar. "It's a destruction Rhotuka." Roden said quietly. "You try, Priduk." Priduk nodded nervously, and a Rhotuka began forming in his launcher. The Rhotuka glowed with a shimmering metallic silver color, and when the light hit it, it shined like steel. Priduk aimed and fired at a large turtle crawling along the shore. There was a silver flash, and the turtle was bound in chains of energy, unable to move. Zora nodded approvingly. "Very good." she said. "Now let the poor turtle go." Priduk pointed his finger at the "poor turtle", and the chains vanished. The turtle, a little confused, trundled on along the beach. Roden stepped to the rail as glowing yellow energy began to form in his Rhotuka launcher. He pointed the launcher at the sky, and fired. The Rhotuka shot into the sky, bright yellow sparks and smoke coming off of it as it went streaking into the sky. It soared upwards, higher than the cone of the extinct volcano that loomed over the ship. The it stopped, hung in the air for a brief moment, and exploded in a cloud of yellow fire and thick smoke. The fire burned in the air for several seconds before it faded, and the smoke stayed even longer. Roden smiled. "How convenient." he said. "I've always wanted to be able make a signal like that." Jallar nodded. "I'll bet it's got offensive possibilities, too. Did you see that fireball?" "Of course I did. It's a signal Rhotuka, after all."

Chapter 3: Eyes in the Night

Priduk stood on the deck of the gently rocking ship and peered into the darkness. There it is again, he thought. There, under that tree over there. A pair of glowing blue eyes were peering at him from the shadows. They were large, and rather narrow, and they stared without blinking. It must be some sort of animal, Priduk thought. No Matoran live on this island, and they don't have eyes like that, anyway. It's definitely not Trinuma. His eyes are yellow. I'll catch it, and see what it is. He readied a Rhotuka, and aimed carefully at the pair of eyes. The deck creaked. Priduk looked cautiously behind him. "What are you doing?" said Zora. "There's an animal looking at me, and I don't like it, so I'm going to catch it and see what it is." As he said them, Priduk was suddenly aware of how stupid the words sounded. He flushed. Zora smiled in the darkness. "Really? Where is it?" Priduk pointed. Zora looked, and frowned. "Hmm." she said. "It's pretty big, to have eyes that large. But it's not attacking us, it's just looking. I wonder..." The eyes vanished. Priduk fired. The Rhotuka hit the tree, and the glowing chains showed the dim outline of a four-legged creature, built low to the ground. The animal was moving, but when Priduk's chain Rhotuka hit the tree, it froze, and the animal suddenly fired one of its own Rhotuka. Priduk grabbed Zora's arm and fell to the ground. The animal's Rhotuka flashed over them, exactly where Priduk's head had been a moment before. Priduk didn't move for at least a minute. When he looked, the creature was gone. Priduk turned and helped Zora to her feet. She glared at him in the moonlight. "I can dodge Rhotuka just as good as you." she said angrily. "You don't have to help me." Priduk shrugged uncomfortably. "I didn't want you getting hurt, especially when Trinuma's not here." "Well, I think I can take care of myself!" she flared. Priduk stepped back, a little surprised by Zora's unusual outburst. "Are you- are you feeling all right?" he asked. "Of course I'm feeling all right!" Zora snapped. Then she seemed to wilt. "I don't know... I'm just nervous, I guess. This island gives me the creeps. I'm sorry I yelled at you." Priduk nodded. "Gives me the creeps, too. What do you think that animal was?" "Something that can shoot Rhotuka, anyway, and there's a lot of animals that can do that. But that thing was rather large, and those eyes... I don't know. All I know is that I don't like it." "Neither do I. But tomorrow we start to look for Trinuma, and the Order wouldn't have taken us here if it was too dangerous." Zora looked unconvinced. "Lots of things can happen in a few months." was all she said. Both were silent for a while, lost in their private thoughts. Then Zora yawned and looked up at the silver moon. "Guess I'll go get some sleep." she said. "G'night." "Good night."

The island was shrouded with mist when Roden awoke. He yawned and walked out of his cabin. He found Priduk on deck, staring out at the jagged cliffs. Roden walked over to him, but said nothing. Priduk acknowledged his arrival with an inclination of his head, then pointed up at the looming volcano. "See that funny bump on the side of the cone?" Roden looked. "Yes, I see it." "Looks a bit like some sort of fortress, doesn't it?" Roden squinted. With his eyes half shut, it did look a bit like some sort of ancient structure. He nodded. "Do you think that's what it is?" asked Priduk. Roden thought for a minute. "I don't know what a fortress would be doin' on this island," he said at last. "Trinuma said this place was uninhabited. Could be some ruins, though." Priduk shrugged. "I guess so. I was thinking that Trinuma would want shelter, and if those were actually ruins, then he might head for them." Roden considered this idea. "I don't know if they're really ruins, but it's an idea. That's good thinkin', Priduk." Priduk smiled and straightened his shoulders a little. "Anyways, once we get movin', we might check it out. Is Jallar up yet?" "Yes, he is." came Jallar's voice from behind them. He stalked forward to the rail and glanced at the shore. It was a very brief glance, but his sharp eyes missed nothing. "There's tracks on the shore under that tree." he said. Priduk told him about the strange animal of the night before. Jallar listened, his eyes narrow. When Priduk had finished, Roden rubbed his helmet thoughtfully. "I don't know..." he said. "We'll take a look at them tracks, but first we need to get movin'. We only got five days. Priduk, you go get Zora, and then you two pick up the supplies. I'll talk tactics with Jallar." Priduk nodded and hurried away. He found Zora in the storage room, checking the packs. She looked up and smiled. "Are Roden and Jallar ready to go?" she asked. Priduk nodded, and swung two of the packs unto his back. Zora picked up the other two, and they headed up to the deck.

Roden checked the straps on his pack, tightened his sword belt, and jumped feet-first into the bay. He treaded water for a moment, then swam for the shore. Jallar followed him in a perfect dive. Priduk took a running jump and did three smooth somersaults before hitting the water with a noisy splash. He rose to the surface and wiped water out of his eyes, grinning cockily. Zora pretended to glare at him, then launched herself from the deck of the ship. Like Priduk, she performed three perfect somersaults, only hers were backward flips, and she hit the water in a graceful dive. She emerged a moment later, and used her trident to splash water into Priduk's eyes. "Ha!" she laughed. "What are you even doing in the Order if you can't do three backwards somersaults and end in a dive? A broken-backed Kikanalo could do better than you!" Priduk made a half-hearted sour face, and began paddling steadily towards the beach. With a few long, smooth strokes, Zora dived under the surface and easily beat the Fire Agori to where the rest of her team waited.

Chapter 4: The First Blows

The shifting mist exposed a tall figure crouched behind a fallen tree at the point where the sparse jungle began and the jagged lava-rock fields ended. Trinuma's lean body was stiff and cold from a night in the open, but the mind behind his blazing yellow eyes was as nimble as a fox. He knew very well the possible danger of moving out of the cover of the giant log. It was several minutes before he moved, and then he moved quickly and confidently, sure of his safety. He was heading deep into the jungle, where he hoped to find a certain hollow tree that he had been told of, and hoped to use for shelter. He knew of some ancient ruins near the mouth of the volcano, but they were very exposed, and if his students were half the warriors he thought they were, the ruins would have already been spotted. As the sun rose high over the island, the mist dissolved in the warming air. Birds and insects awoke and began to go about their daily business, and the far-off bellow of a Kikanalo sent shock waves through the humid air. Trinuma was in thick forest by this time, bolts of kinetic energy from his blasters helping him up and over large tangles of vegetation. About mid-day, he saw a yellow signal Rhotuka, flashing high above the mountain. Trinuma smiled. The Rhotuka had come from the ruins on the side of the mountain, and it was quickly followed by another. They've made good time, he thought, That's no small mountain... They must have split up, if they're signaling. Wonder which one has a signal Rhotuka... Probably Roden. He's that kind. He pressed on. And eyes watched him from the shadows of the forest, eyes that studied and pondered and waited.

Trinuma studied the large hollow tree thoughtfully. It was large enough for him to sit or stand comfortably inside, and the entrance was small enough to defend easily. Inside, the hollow section of the tree extended high into the trunk of the ancient plant. Trinuma was a great warrior, but he lacked woodcraft, or he would have sensed danger long before he had reached the hollow tree. As it was, he felt a sudden vague uneasiness, mingled with the feeling of being watched. The lime-green Rhotuka missed Trinuma's mask by the merest of margins. He threw himself to the side, blindly firing a blast of energy from his Nynrah Ghostblaster as he did so. Trinuma hit the ground and instantly rolled to the side, avoiding another Rhotuka that sent dirt spraying over his face. Trinuma fired his Ghostblaster again and again, blindly raking the surrounding forest. The jungle was still for a moment, and Trinuma crawled over and put his back against the giant tree. He waited. He was not disappointed. The Rhotuka slammed into the trunk above his head, and there was an angry hiss as decades-old wood dissolved. A foot lower, and it would have been Trinuma's head. Trinuma fired his Ghostblaster at the spot where the Rhotuka had appeared, then his kinetic energy blaster, then another shot from his Ghostblaster. The kinetic energy found its mark, for there was an angry hiss in the dark jungle, and the sound of a heavy body being slammed into a hard surface. Trinuma was now firing his Ghostblaster at every location where an unknown enemy could hide, and this apparently worried his attackers, for an instant later, he was surrounded by spider-like animals.

Visorak!

The word rang in Trinuma's mind, even as he ducked a Rhotuka, and neatly sent a large blast of kinetic energy at the ground, a move that sent him high above his ambushers. The Visorak were momentarily startled by their prey's ability to take to the air, but a second later, at least a dozen Rhotuka hurtled skyward. Very few Order members can dodge fourteen Rhotuka at once, without using a Kanohi. Trinuma's Great Mask of Charisma was no help in this situation. He dodged the greater number of them, and deflected several with his shield, but then a wheel of energy connected with his head, and a burning pain wracked his body, a pain so intense that he might have gone quite insane, were it not for his great will-power and mental shielding. He could keep himself in the air, or he could keep his mind. Trinuma slammed into the ground, and sank instantly into a painless coma.

Chapter 5: Two For Back-Up Jallar fired his Rhotuka launcher, exploding a jagged path through a giant clump of lava-rock. The fragments bounced down the steep mountain slope, coming to rest in the jungle far below. Jallar hurried on, Zora and Priduk close behind. The three Agori were heading for the ruins near the peak, where Roden had gone to look for traces of Trinuma. He was to signal, using his Rhotuka, when he had completed his investigation. One Rhotuka meant Roden had found a clue to Trinuma's location and the other Agori were to join him, two Rhotuka was the signal requesting back-up, and three Rhotuka meant Roden had found nothing interesting and was coming down. There had been two Rhotuka fired. Zora paused a moment to gasp for breath. She was nearing the limit of her endurance, which was not as great as that of Priduk and Jallar. Jallar looked up. The ruins were very near, but an enormous heap of lava-rock lay between them and their leader. Exploding it could mean an avalanche that could kill all of them. He growled in frustration. Zora stumbled, and went down. Priduk helped her to her feet, and glanced at Jallar. "She can't make it over that rock." Priduk said. He glanced at Zora. "You can't, right?" "Not until I catch my breath." Jallar's eyes flicked from Priduk to Zora. "Priduk, stay with Zora. I'll go on ahead." Priduk opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. He nodded.

One Hour Before...

The Visorak's eyes gleamed in anticipation. The creature's legs strained to lunge at the black-armored being that was so near, but it forced itself to remain still, hidden in a dark corner of the ancient ruins. ''Closer... closer...'' The Visorak's lime-green Rhotuka shot towards the victim. Some sixth sense warned Roden a split second before the attack came. He fell to one side, drawing his blade as he did so. The Rhotuka, streaking for his head, hit only empty air. The Visorak growled in anger and leaped forward, clicking its jaws menacingly. Roden was on his feet in an instant. When the Visorak hit him, he staggered under the weight, but managed to hurl the creature from him. The Visorak hit the ground and lay dazed. Instantly, three more Visorak appeared out of the shadowy ruins, summoned by the sounds of fighting. Roden lifted his Rhotuka launcher skyward and fired twice. One after the other, the Rhotuka blazed skyward and exploded. They were Roden's call for back-up, back-up that he knew would come too late. He held the double-bladed protosteel sword tight in his hand. It was his only friend and ally in this battle. The Visorak circled warily, lusting for battle but not wanting to make the first move. Roden was quite content to wait. Every second meant the rest of his team was a few steps nearer. His eyes moved around the surrounding ruins, analyzing possible escape routes. About twenty feet from him, a rotting wooden door hung lopsidedly in a dark but easily defended doorway. Roden calculated the distance to it and the time it would take him to cover that short distance. The Visorak lunged as one, but Roden was ready. His blade slammed into the skull of one of the creatures, and the Bone Hunter used it as a handle to vault over its back. He hit the ground running and it took him only a few strides to reach the door. Without stopping, he hit it with his shoulder, and it collapsed to the ground. Roden ducked a Rhotuka, and plunged into the darkness behind the doorway. Instantly, Roden realized his mistake. The wooden staircase beyond the door was rotten, and splintered under his weight. He felt himself falling, and grasped frantically at the moldy boards. His hand found and closed on a plank, and he hung there, listening to the snapping of weakening wood. He brought his blade up and used it as a climbing spike, slamming it into the wood that his hand grasped. The sudden impact was more than the old wood could take, and it cracked and split. Roden fell into blackness.

The Bone Hunter hit hard, but his fall was broken by several of the planks that had fallen out of the stairs far above him. He lay there, listening to the roaring hiss of silence.

Chapter 6: The Trap

After several minutes, Roden began to move. He tested his joints carefully, feeling for any broken bones. His body felt all right, though covered with bruises. He squinted into the darkness around him. There were a few rays of light from above, but they did little beyond comfort the mind. Roden got to his feet, and felt cautiously around him. He seemed to be in a long stone hallway, as he could feel two walls on either side. The other two sides were empty, save the blackness. Below was stone, above, the staircase. Roden felt a twinge of fear. To find a way out, he must feel his way into the deathly blackness, not knowing what awaited him. He took a deep breath and began moving slowly along one side of the hallway, one hand on his blade and the other groping for obstacles. He had walking several minutes when he realized that the floor was sloping downwards. He hesitated, then pressed on. Suddenly, the hallway turned turned sharply, and the downward slope became much greater. From somewhere down the tunnel, a vague glow shoved half-heartedly at the gloom. Roden stoppd, his eyes straining eagerly for light. It was light, yes, but very little. Roden hurried on, almost running now. The light became brighter and brighter as he ran forward and suddenly he found himself in a large circular room. Roden stopped, and his eyes found the source of the light. In the ceiling was a round hole, through which a bright shaft of light fell, illuminating the room. The room was very sparse, but a few shelves with ancient tablets and a dusty telescope lined the walls. Roden walked forward into the center of the room and peered up at the sun-hole. He could see only sky, and the hole was impossible to climb through. If the hole had been big enough, the length of the shaft was too much. Roden slumped to the ground, his hopes dashed into shards. He sat that way for a long time, his mind coolly calculating his situation. He had food and water. He had weapons. What he needed was light, light to explore the pitch-black passages. Light. He rose to his feet and took another look at the contents of the shelves. He searched for several minutes, but found nothing. Roden stopped searching. He badly needed a lightstone, but there was none. He would have to do without. On a sudden idea, he ran his hands around the walls of the room, wondering if there was another way out besides the hallway where he had come from. After a few moments, he found a narrow groove in the stone wall. He ran his hands up and down its length, and there was a sudden grating noise as a section of wall slid away to reveal a narrow flight of stairs that fell sharply away into the darkness. Roden's mouth was suddenly dry. He hated tight spaces where he did not have room to move easily. He hated places where he could not see. This flight of stairs was both. He moved cautiously down the stone steps, feeling in front of him with his blade. Down, down, down... Roden was relieved when the narrow stairs ended, and the damp floor became level. Roden's relief vanished almost instantly, to be replaced with curiosity. In front of him was a deep pool of glowing silver liquid!