"Where am I?"
~You could call it Hell. An Inferno. That's what many of your people call it. You and your husband, however, often call it the Fire Caves. The home of the evil gods. That's where you are. And that is where you will remain. Your soul belongs to me.~
Dana looked around and saw only darkness. Nothingness. "Why is there no fire, then?"
~Fire is only a metaphor for evil. An evil that lies within us all. Hatred, anger, vengeance, the will to destroy, they are all often depicted as fire. This place reflects what comes after the fire. Emptiness. Lonely ashes withering away in an untended fireplace. Darkness. Despair.~
Dana jumped as she saw an explosion in the distance. She heard a shriek. "Is this my part of the bargain? The deal I made with the Prophets to save K'Lara's and her son's lives?"
~Yes. Only your offering was not with the Prophets. They cannot hear you. They are blind. They are little children scurrying see the fireworks on a hot, summer day. They are fools. No. Your bargain was made with the Lorean gods.~
"The Loreans? Who are they?"
~The Borials and their gods did not tell you? They were once the rulers of these lands. Then, the people began to claim injustices and rebelled. They created the Borial nation. After the Loreans were defeated, Xenon III fell into an era of peace and prosperity.~
"I take you did not like that?"
~No. Because as the people rebelled, the gods did as well. And the Loreans lost in heaven as well as on earth. Thus, the Loreans were scattered and their gods were cast down into the nether regions. But, now, because of your love for those two Virgos, your soul will feed me and bring glory once again to the Loreans! I, Pharox, will once again rule the heavens and the earth!~
A luminous, majestic, angelic figure suddenly appeared. He light up the darkness and pushed the emptiness away. It was Kalmar. ~Come, Dana. Pharox will not have you.~
The darkness condensed and became embodied in one dark being. He had horrible horns and his hair burned with black fire. It was Pharox. ~She is mine. You will not take her from me!~
~Come, Dana. I will take you back. You can return. Your love should not be indebted. Come back to the light. Touch my hand.~
Dana was about to grab Kalmar's extended hand when a darkness enveloped Dana.
~She is MINE!~
~Let her go!~
The light and darkness seemed to bounce around in some sort of paranormal battle. Dana began struggling from the grasp of darkness until she was finally free. She immediate ran to the light.
Kalmar once again extended his hand. ~Grab it, child!~
Dana grabbed his hand, and a flash of light illuminated the "Hell".
Pharox, in his disgusting, semi-humanoid form, began to laugh.
Kalmar was surprised by that momentary and unexpected euphoria. ~You have lost. Dana is once again a child of the light.~
Pharox only laughed harder. ~You see, my dear Kalmar, Dana was only a plan B of sorts. My real victory was in the death of a pure spirit. A soul that had never before felt the Fires of Hell. Today, Stephen, this young girl's husband, has hated for the first time. He has been soiled with the impurities of evil. This I will use to my advantage.~
There was another flash, and the room faded away.
Dana coughed and woke up. She surprised the people surrounding her, who had believed her dead.
Neklus's wife, Milla, came up to her. "You are alive. But how?"
"Kalmar saved me. Pharox tried to take my soul." She immediately got up and approached the chanting Kaltanthrop. Dana punched him in the face and sent the old priest to the ground. "You bastard."
Milla knelt in front of Dana. "Please, do not hurt him. He is our..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Dana picked up the small man and shoved him against the wall with renewed strength that seemed unnatural. "You tried to screw me, you son of a bitch."
Kaltanthrop laughed and licked the blood from his teeth. "You know the truth, then?"
Milla was awed. "What truth?"
Dana looked at Milla. "Are you blind? Kaltanthrop is a Lorean. He has been all his life. He tried to get my soul for Pharox so he could escape the nether regions and wreak havoc on this entire planet."
Kaltanthrop burst into laughter. He lifted his arm and sent Dana flying across the room. "You fool! Pharox is the true God of the Lorean and Borial peoples. He will unite us an lead us to glory!" Kaltanthrop's eyes glowed red.
Dana got up. She suddenly felt a force bathe her with power. Her eyes began to glow white. "Let's do this, old man."
"With pleasure." Kaltanthrop shed his entire skin. Out came a horrid monster with broken bat wings and a long hooked tail like a scorpions. His feet and hands were clawed, and his skin shone dark red. The color of blood. "Time to die, Dana! For the glory of Pharox!" he yelled in a demonic voice.
Dana's female voice shone like the song of a thousand angels. "Get out of here, Milla! Take the servants with you!" She then looked at the demon. "Come on, you Pagh'wriath wanna-be!"
They charged at each other.
Stephen was killing Horde by the second. His hatred showed in his fiery eyes. He hated the Horde for attacking them and killing his people. He would not allow one more death.
Suddenly, a darkness enveloped him. ~Stephen, you have become dark. You have allowed me to come to you. And to kiss you.~
"Who are you?"
~I am but an image of power. The embodiment of what you have become. But still, your good blocks the way to ultimate power. The good must be destroyed. Stephen must be split.~
Immediately, a horrible pain moved throughout Stephen's body. He yelled out in terror. He was being torn apart by the darkness. Then, the pain receded. Stephen was in shock.
After what seemed like minutes laying on the floor. Someone pulled Stephen up by the hair. "Hmm. Handsome," the person said.
Stephen looked at the person picking him up by the hair while he grunted in pain. It was Stephen! Two Stephens!
Before the Stephen being pulled up by the hair could say anything, the other Stephen punched Stephen in the face, knocking him out.