Anton ran up the endless staircases of the White Spire, only stopping to kill the defenders that barred his way. He knew it was helping the Old God’s conquest but he didn’t have any choice. Every White Creature was immediately hostile and would not even hint to entertain his presence or a conversation. There were many variants, all with etchings on their armour but nothing like Red Crested Ghlotsm or the Black Lightning wielding Goblin, nothing that would talk.

“How it would help me if people would just talk,” Anton grumbled loudly.

He held Longinious tight as her small spheres floated above his head and obliterated yet another barricade. The White Goblin archers screeched as they loosed their arrows randomly. Longinious threw up a purple shield and caught the few arrows that might strike him. Thankfully his wounds continued to heal at a rapid pace. Longinious had fired her large bolt of light at anything that had actually wounded Anton, even if they were right on him. He knew that if she was in a human form she would have stomped the creature to death during the middle of battle.

“These foolish creatures are not capable of registering that they are fighting their betters.” Longinious scoffed. “Your creations will not be so idiotic.”

Anton said nothing, focusing on the crumbling barricades. While they had found more of the silver pools, closely guarded by White Sky Eels, they were unable to create creatures that would follow his orders. White Goblins or Ghlotsm would emerge but would immediately attack him. Anton decided to leave them alone. It wasn’t that difficult as the Sky Eels were not hostile unless they approached the pool.

I wonder if there are books in this Spire? Do I have enough time? We’re still being pursued.

Longinious fired off a final bolt of light and ceased, letting out a triumphant huff.

“Thanks, Longinious.”

“I aim to please, Master.”

Anton almost laughed. Part of him really wanted to know what form Longinious would take. If she knew his memories then he would know his most intimate desires…

“Are we near the level the boy flew into?” Anton slowly approached the barricade.

Longinious brought the spheres to hover just above his head. “Yes, Anton. But I think he, it, would have noticed. We aren’t exactly being subtle about our passage. Like whatever killed those White Creatures on the first floor.”

“True,” Longinious said softly. “That is still concerning me.”

The White Spire shook violently again. Anton slammed himself against the wall and used Longinious to stop him from falling down the stairs.

“Again?” Longinious grumbled.

Something broke off from the outside. It ground loudly as part of the structure bent and twisted away, screaming through the air until it crashed into the ground far below, the whole structure shuddered again.

“There won’t be anything left at this rate. What happens if the Spire begins to collapse? They’re inside too.” Longinious’s sphere’s shone brightly. “If they wanted this place destroyed they’d have just destroyed the base.”

“They’re getting angry as the battle continues to drag on,” Anton said. “So they’re starting to not care how much they destroy in order to win. How long have we been here?”

“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.”

They stepped past the ruined blockade and into a room different from the others. This room contained the platform reaching out into the empty central space of the White Spire, no Dragons or any other creatures except a large blue crystal floating in the centre. Four smaller blue octahedral crystals spun around the central crystal. Anton readied Longinious as he approached but, despite the bright light, the crystal was inert and harmless.

“So what can you do?” Anton asked aloud.

“I-”

A scream came from the far side of the room, behind a featureless white wall. The way the scream echoed it clearly didn’t come from the floor above.

“Longinious. Make your energy edge.”

“Why?” Longinious still did as she was bid.

“I’m going to cut a peephole.” Anton gently pushed the purple edge through the stone. “Just keep an eye on what’s happening behind us, I might be distracted.”

“Understood.”

Anton pushed Longinious through until he felt no resistance. He spun the spear to make a small hold and peered through. He nearly gasped at what he was witnessing.

Five brightly coloured people surrounded one of the white children, whether or not it was the child that had flown by Anton couldn’t be sure. He recognised Fliodher, her pelt clothing was different compared to his meeting, a darker fur that covered far more of her body, the bow was smaller but made from a lighter coloured bone. Esperit stood to her side, wearing a flaming set of armour that left almost all of her backside exposed and a short man with blue hair. He wore tight blue clothes, a white scarf around his neck and a large pot underneath his arm. Water flowed out of the jar, around his waist and back in. Anton didn’t know the name of the God of Water. More worryingly he saw Nithroel standing in front, dressed identical as their first meeting, and Tethra to her side. Her white habit covered her head but she didn’t wear the chains underneath. Her clothes were much tighter and could not hide such cumbersome chains.

“So you were friends,” Anton mumbled softly. “What went wrong?”

He was only speaking aloud for his own benefit, there would be time later to explain it to Longinious. She said nothing as she kept her attention focused behind.

The White Child, a girl judging by the ethereal skirt, cowered before the Old Gods. Anton shifted and saw dead Dragons beyond, all killed in horrific manners.

“One out of thirteen.” The short water god grumbled, his voice soft and feminine. “One out of thirteen! We have been attacking with everything we’ve got and-”

“Shut up!” Nithroel spat at him, the water god jumped back a step. “I’ve heard enough of your grumbling ever since the invasion began.”

“Whatever.”

Nithroel shook her head and looked to the White Child. She tried to scamper away but her back was already against the wall. And one of her legs was bent at a strange angle and leaked a white mist.

“Don’t come near me!” The White Girl shrieked. She produced a white dagger and held it towards Nithroel.

“Really?” Nithroel scoffed. “Your creatures are dangerous. You, on the other hand-”

A beam of black lightning erupted from the dagger. Fear drenched Nithroel’s face before a white light deflected it into the pile of Dragon corpses. Tethra had her hand raised, a faint white light enveloped her entire arm.

"You cannot be so careless." Tethra's voice was soft but held a deep authority.

Nithroel nodded but offered no apology or thanks.

"Stupid little mongrels." Nithroel held up her hand, a vine with black thorns began to grow out. "You've spent countless cycles just playing in this little place you call a world." Nithroel scoffed. "You have no idea how to fight a war."

The White Girl slowly shuffled along the wall, keeping her dagger pointed at Nithroel. She only laughed.

"We have fought wars that-"

"Stop torturing the creature." Esperit snapped. "We have not fallen to the ways of those that have forsaken us. Or have you forgotten already?"

Again Nithroel said nothing.

I don't remember Esperit being like that. But then again we are dealing with Nithroel. Thought she would have snapped something back.

"You're right." Nithroel glumly nodded. "Sorry, Esperit."

She's definitely changed, and not for the better.

"Self-serving attitudes are what brought us heretics in the first place."

Black thorned vines swirled around Nithroel's hand, the White Child frantically tried to back away, before they shot out, grabbing the child's leg and throwing her around like a rag doll. Chunks of floor and wall came loose as the child screamed and begged for them to stop. Anton's stomach turned to see a child being so horribly abused and without any concern from the Old Gods, not even Tethra.

When the Child stopped resisting, now a limp ethereal body, Nithroel's vines held her up high. Her skirt did not fall down but tears streamed out of her featureless face. Nithroel began to speak when her face snapped towards the centre of the White Spire. An angel fluttered in, not like the four armed angel that was killed by the Dragons, but far more in line with what Anton expected. Except this angel was a male.

"My lady Tethra." The angel's voice was surprisingly deep. "The enemy is pushing forward again. More of those Dragon creatures lead the assault."

"Can't you deal with them yourself?" Tethra asked. Anton could not tell if the question was innocent or not.

"We can." The angel looked to the other gods, bar Fliodher. "But we will need reinforcements."

"I cannot send another Fire Lord into battle." Esperit clicker her tongue. "I don't have much mana left."

"Surely that's not true." A laugh escaped the water god’s lips, silenced by a glare from Esperit and, surprisingly, Nithroel. "I mean, the people would be crying out for you far more than me."

"That's a lie and you know it." Fliodher angrily shook her head. "I'm sure many screamed to the heavens for a simple drop of water. They didn't care that the animals were long dead."

"We will bring them back," Tethra said. "All of them. And the forests. And the oceans. Everything. But first..."

Tethra's hand glowed bright again, far brighter than before. Out of the light chains emerged, those too forged from a brilliant white light. However, every four links there lay a giant hooked spike. The White Child tried to resist but could not. Its feeble attempts were quickly silenced as Nithroel's vines swarmed its body and constricted tight around its neck.

Why not just kill her?

The chains of light finished flowing from Tethra's hands. For a moment they stopped, Tethra's shoulders twitched.

"I'm sorry." Tethra exhaled softly as her stance hardened. "But you cannot-"

"Intrud-"

The angel shattered as a White Marble spear punctured his chest and flew directly at Tethra. A mass of vines and water formed a tight knot to deflect the spear into the ceiling, shattering both and causing Nithroel to drop the White Child.

"My guards should..." The Water God trailed off as he looked to the source.

Four of the blue men floated lifelessly, large white stakes punctured every joint with two rammed straight through their eyes. Between them floated a small boy, his ethereal body had no features but Anton knew he was beyond furious.

"How dare you!" The child screamed with an adult’s voice. "You-"

The Old Gods did not hesitate. All at once they attacked, a mixture of their respective elements flew towards the child. Another White Spear grew in his hands as he looked up and soared into the sky. The four blue men screeched as the white objects impaling them pulled hard against their body and into one clump, right where the attacks were heading.

"N-"

The Water Gods cry fell on deaf ears, not that there was anything that could be done. All four evaporated in an explosion of magic.

"No!" The Water God screamed. "We left this shit behind us-"

"-Be quiet." Esperit cut him off. "He's not done yet."

Magical circles emerged near the feet of the Old Gods, each of their respective colour. Blue men, Fire Lords, Angels and a Dryad, a shapely woman made a tree, emerged and surrounded their gods. Anton noticed the White Girl, still alive, crawling as surreptitiously as possible towards the dead Dragons.

The upper ceiling exploded and caved inwards. Longinious shouted but Anton barely heard her. The creatures rushed to defend their Gods, swatting away the falling debris with their powerful magic, but Anton knew, somehow, that was not the actual attack. Sure enough, the child flew through the gap into the centre of the White Spire with an even longer spear in his hands. He darted through the falling rocks, slashing at the creatures, killing them nearly instantly and dove for the White Girl. She thrust out a trembling hand. The boy flew over her, grabbed her hand and sped out, darting and weaving around the tumbling debris. He kicked at the air and shot up the empty central space. It had only lasted a few seconds but for Anton everything felt like it was happening on slow motion.

"Shit!" The Water God petulantly stomped his foot as the Blue Men pushed aside the ceiling debris. "Do you know how much mana I just lost? Do you know how much it takes to summon level ten creatures that quickly? And, might I add, I'd already lost-"

"Of course we do." Tethra stared at the remains of one of her angels. "We all lost mana to his attack."

"Little bastard's the only one fighting back." Nithroel spat on the floor. A Dryad moved to clean it but she waved it away. "At least we know how to deal with Trellos's creations."

Anton was not surprised to hear the boy was Trellos. Far from it, but news that he was the only fighter certainly was.

"Come." Flames began to swirl around Esperit's feet. "There's no point trying to bind a Deity when they're not present. Though it would have gone a long way to stabilise our world."

You're talking like you're raiding energy. Raiding Gods?...Did it not work? And then you had to flee to this one?

One by one the Old Gods left, leaving Tethra behind with the chains made of light. She stared at them, her body shivered as she threw them into the ground, over and over like a child throwing a tantrum. Each strike gouged out more floor, the angels said and did nothing, and broke another link in the chain. When only a single link remained she stopped and all were enveloped in a white light, leaving the room silent and still.

Anton pulled himself away from the wall. "They've certainly changed. And I don't know if it's for the better."

"Nothing has approached us from behind," Longinious spoke firmly. "Nor from the outside. I did, however, track those two that fled to three levels above us."

"And how did you do that?"

Only one of Longinious's spheres floated over his head. He found the other by a small opening to the central space, the opening was rough, almost like it had been recently blown apart.

Longinious picked up on his impending question. "When there was a lot of noise. It sounded like someone was being thrown about in there."

"There was." Anton sighed. "My Gods aren't as I know them. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say that I only knew them after this, not that I knew this had even happened. I wonder if it would have changed anything?"

"Do we follow them, Anton?" Longinious's second sphere returned to over his head. "They might know of a way to return home. And you might be able to use what just happened to your advantage."

"Pity? Or empathy?" Anton began walking towards the next flight of stairs.

"Perhaps both." He was certain Longinious shrugged. "Or simply tell them the truth. If they're wounded and vulnerable they might not just attack you on sight. That might be the only way you'll be able to talk to them without exchanging blows."

Anton silently agreed and began the ascent.

---[]---

“This is the level,” Longinious said softly.

The White Creatures were not present on the subsequent levels. They were not dead, like the mysterious murders on the first level, but had simply disappeared. They hadn’t passed Anton so either they had moved to a higher level or found a different way down to the battle on the ground floor. Anton had glanced down, now the White Creatures had pushed the intruders to the breaches, even the door that Anton slipped through. If it weren’t for the veritable legions of Dragons that had descended from the upper levels Anton knew the battle would have already concluded.

“Yeah…” Anton glanced back, searching but not hearing or seeing anything. “Looks like they haven’t run out of those Dragon things.”

The room they found themselves at was unnaturally long and contained four of the bright blue crystals. Anton did not try and break them just to see if they would grant Longinious more Essence. He was also worried that it might do something harmful and without Longinious he was completely defenceless. Beyond the four crystals lay a giant door, nearly identical to the one outside, guarded by four Dragons. They held lances and large shields, waiting in a tight formation with little space between them. If they ran along the room there would be no room to escape. If they would actually destroy the blue crystals to kill them Anton didn’t know.

“I’m certain this is the floor,” Longinious said. “If they’re still here they’ll be behind that door.”

“So how do we get in without them killing us? We’ve killed over a thousand of them.”

“They can talk.” Longinious sniggered. “Maybe you should try that first? If not, we can always run down to the next level. That was pretty narrow and we can deal with one of them at a time. Oh, imagine how much Essence I could take from one of those.”

Almost sounds like you want this to fail, not that you do…At least I hope you don’t.

Anton flexed his shoulders, not that his body ached, and stepped forward. The Dragons noticed his presence instantly but didn’t move to attack. Instead they gripped their weapons tight, raised their shield and locked eyes with Anton’s ethereal body.

Crap. What to say?

“Hello.”

Smooth.

The Dragons glanced at one another but said nothing.

“Can you understand me?”

A Dragon gnashed its teeth, it stepped forward and lowered its weapon.

"I've been stuck in this world for some time." Anton ensured his words were clear and the Dragons understood him. "And I'm just trying to get back home. But I can’t. Is there someone I can speak with that might be able to help?"

Here goes nothing.

"Agal perhaps?" The Dragons tensed but Anton continued. "I heard that Agal's very smart."

"Where did you hear that, outsider?" The Dragon's speech was slow and deliberate. He was unsure of the language.

And this is where it all falls apart.

"From a Goblin. Outside of this Spire."

"And where-"

"He tried to kill me." Anton kept his voice flat. "He saw me and immediately tried to kill me. I have only defended myself from those that have tried to kill me. Nothing more."

At least outside that's true.

The Dragons looked at one another but didn't immediately respond. Anton tapped on Longinious, they had yet to ask about her. Perhaps there were more sentiment weapons scattered throughout this realm and it was a common occurrence. Anton almost smiled imagining the fit Longinious would certainly throw if he called her common.

"Do not move." A dragon tapped on the door. With small hatch opened through which a slim Sky Eel slithered through. "We will hear what they have to say. They will decide your fate."

Very dramatic, but also very accurate.

"Be ready," Anton whispered. "If they do attack they might try something from behind. Or below."

"I'm ready when you give the word." Longinious's voice was soft but also determined.

The Dragons stared at Anton unblinkingly. Anton tried to act calm by looking out the small gap in the wall formed by the columns.

"The battle's..." Anton cut himself off. Anything he said could offend the Dragons, especially if he commented on their war. At least it still appeared to be heading in their favour. For now at least.

The door groaned and the Sky Eel returned. It floated up to the Dragon's ear, at least where the ear should be, and whispered something in their native language. The Dragon snarled as the Sky Eel rolled over and darted back through the door.

"Agal will speak with you." The Dragons parted but kept their eyes trained squarely on Anton. "But do not think she is weak or defenceless. You will soon be proven very wrong."

Another Dragon shifted his shield. "And do not think to use that weapon either. A new weapon should not have such strength."

Anton said nothing, he doubted if he had any expression, but didn't want to reveal Longinious's origins. Conflict certainly lay down that route.

"Thank you. I will remain calm and not act in any violent way."

The Dragon snorted but offered no rebuke.

"Keep your spheres trained on them." Anton began walking towards the door. "Scream if they try and attack. There won't be time for anything else."

"Understood."

As Anton approached half of the door opened. Beyond was yet another plain room with a large floating crystal, green this time. Anton kept his attention firmly on the Dragons. His body tensed as he moved into their strike range. The Dragons clearly held themselves back, their muscles twitched and clawed feet ground at the white floor. One frowned as he realised Anton had similar features but did not vocalise his concerns.

Only when Anton passed through, and the door closed behind him, did his body begin to relax. While the room was plain, relatively speaking, the large green crystal hovered above a pool of shimmering liquid silver. The smaller crystals orbiting the central stopped and reversed direction.

"Who are you?" A gentle voice asked.

Only then did he realise someone was resting near the silver pool, a small White Child with a flowing dress. Judging by the marks on her form she was the child tormented by Nithroel and, to a lesser extent, Tethra.

"My name is Anton. Are you Agal?"

The child turned its featureless face to Anton. "And if I am?"

"I'd like to know how to return home." Anton tapped the floor. "This isn't where I belong."

"No." Agal struggled to stand. "No, it is not."

A white light gathered in her hand, faint bursts of black lightning sporadically burst out. Out of the light a solid cylinder of White Marble grew until it touched the floor. Agal shifted her weight onto her creation, a simple cane.

"You seem..."

"What?" Agal stepped forward.

"You seem far more... Mature than when I first saw you."

"First?" Agal stepped back. "Explain yourself before I have Trellos's Guardians destroy you."

Anton took a deep breath. "I've been to this world before. I don't know how long ago it was. But, but I found you, all of you, playing like children in a small clearing far from this Spire. Just before," Anton pointed down. "They arrived."

Agal stared at Anton for some time, completely unmoving. The green crystals stopped and reversed their rotation.

“So it was you.” Agal tapped her cane. “You were the one that interfered.”

“I didn’t mean to. I wanted to find a way home and that child, Trellos, tried to infuse a Dragon doll with some sort of energy.” Anton raised his foot and manoeuvred his tail to his side. “Then I became like this. And I can’t find a way to fix it.”

“How…How long ago did you see this?” Agal appeared genuinely confused.

“Almost an entire season outside,” Anton said. “But when I was trapped in here it was only a few minutes.”

Agal looked at the large green crystal. “The battle has not been raging for long.”

“And yet you no longer act like a child,” Anton said softly.

Agal turned back to him. “We had no choice. No choice if we wanted to survive.”

“Is there a way to send me back?”

Agal did not answer. Her attention lay focused on Longinious, especially the purple spheres. “I’d like to know how you created that. Actually, one of the Obelisks of Creation was destroyed. And not by their activity. I presume that was your work?”

“Master was only trying to defend himself from an unprovoked attack,” Longinious said sternly. “He did not mean to destroy anything, even though his life was threatened.”

Agal accepted Longinious’s answer and approached the large green crystal. She plucked one of the smaller crystals from its orbit and brought it close to her chest.

“While I would like to know exactly how you were able to create a sentient weapon on your first attempt-”

It was entirely by accident.

“-There might be a way to return you to your world. Wherever that is. What world did you come from? It’s clearly not this one.”

“I come from…” Anton hesitated. “This place is like the ‘Godly Realm’ of that world. A world with green grass, blue skies and seas. Snow-capped mountains that soar into the sky and cleave through the clouds. Surely...Surely you know of that?”

“Green? Green grass?” Agal chuckled. “What a strange place you speak of.”

Does our world not exist yet? That means, without the Old Gods, no one I know would ever exist. So they are destined to win, otherwise it would create some sort of paradox? Am I about to destroy everything? Unless it’s already happened, destined to happen and I’m just going through the motions. That nothing I’m doing actually matters.

“Regardless-”

“There is a way.” Agal raised her hand. “But not here. Only the very top of the spire holds enough energy, and the barriers between dimensions thin enough, to send a being to another world.”

“Can we go there then? I...I would like to get home as soon as possible. Many people are going to be very worried to see me unconscious and bleeding on the ground. I want to see them again.”

Again Agal regarded him with some suspicion. “I can walk now. So, it’s best if we take the elevator. We can reach the top floor very quickly.”

“And the war below?” Longinious asked as Agal lead them to the far wall. “You aren’t worried about that? They tried to kill you.”

What’s with this sudden concern? Or is it just a show of empathy, just to make sure that Agal pities and helps us?

“Trellos has the situation under control.” Agal held the green crystal in one hand and rested the other flat against the wall. “He wants us to keep back our creations, just in case they actually start to cause some damage.”

“You mean the outer wall of the spire collapsing isn’t a big deal for you?”

Agal smiled. “Not yet, at least.”

Anton didn’t believe it. If Trellos hadn’t arrived she would be dead, likely constricted and bound by the glowing chains. If they weren’t in a desperate situation now he hated to wonder what would count.

Agal’s fingers began to glow exceedingly bright. She drew a series of concentric interconnected rings on the smooth white wall. Part of the wall clicked and revealed a doorway. Inside lay an empty cylinder, like an elevator. Agal stepped aside as something flew out of the elevator, catching Anton in the chest and throwing him across the room. Longinious screamed in anger, her two smaller spheres detaching and fired wildly at the source. As Anton slumped down against the wall, Longinious’s light blasts were faint and distant in his mind, a being floated before him. Trellos. Longinious fired her central bolt of light directly at his head. Trellos deflected it with his own spear.

“I thought I felt a strange presence with you,” Trellos now spoke softly, almost effeminate, but nothing about the way he spoke or carried himself indicated any weakness. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

Agal looked at the small green crystal in her hand. “I thought that taking one of these would be more than enough to let you know. I don’t know what they’re capable of but they aren’t hostile. At least not yet.”

Trellos’s feet touched the ground.

“I doubt that.” Trellos levelled the spear to Anton’s throat. “I had some more creatures to deal with, my Dragons were having trouble with them. But not anymore.”

“So…” Anton found it hard to speak. The centre of his chest had turned to the white sand, the outer surface speckled with charred grains. How hard had Trellos struck him? Not with his spear, surely. It would have travelled right through him.

“I’m sorry that I stole your magic.” Anton coughed. The wound was fading, even the burnt sections. “From that Dragon...Figure. I didn’t mean to do it. I just wanted someone to notice me, so I could find a way home.”

Trellos said nothing, staring at Anton’s face with his own featureless face.

“When they arrived you stepped back and I absorbed that white energy. Somehow. And it did this to me.” Anton raised his feet and looked at his tail. “It’s caused me problems...But nowhere near as much as you’ve received.”

“The first of your kind that’s not a condescending fool.”

I think we had the same discussion with the Centaurs.

“What do you want with us? Outsider?”

“To go home.” Anton knew he sounded a little angry. “I never wanted to come here in the first place. And I just want to go home. And not wait the long way.”

Trellos tilted his head. He slowly stepped back to Agal and whispered furiously into her ear.

“Master,” Longinious whispered. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t touch him. He’s very strong. Unbelievably strong. Far stronger than the other gods and their creations.”

“Do you think you could defeat him?” Anton tapped the disappearing wound. Already the burnt grains had disappeared.

“If I could absorb the Essence of a thousand Dragons and a thousand of your gods’ best creatures...Maybe. If he was distracted.”

“That bad then.” Anton slowly stood up, using the wall for stability. “Let’s not piss him off then. Right?”

“Right.”

Trellos stopped speaking with Agal. “We don’t have enough energy in the Central Crystal to send anyone to another world, let alone one as distant as the one you described.”

“Are you using that power to fight the invaders?” Anton asked. He slowly stepped forward.

“We are.” Trellos looked up, to where the bright central crystal hung in the centre of the White Spire. “We cannot use much more without causing damage to the structure. If...If you were to help us drive them back we could easily send you to your world.”

Or just destroy me the moment I’m of no use. Your creations didn’t have any qualms about slaughtering me on the spot. Not the mention...I don’t think you win.

“I don’t know how much help I could be.” Anton tapped Longinious’s shaft. “Maybe against some of the weaker creatures but nothing too large, nothing like their equivalent of your Dragons.”

“Absorbing their Essences…”

Trellos frowned towards the wall facing the outside of the White Spire. He lowered his spear towards the wall, moving in front of Agal. The entire wall began to crack and crumble away. A humanoid creature floated outside, a glowing white creature with four arms and a harsh, angular face. Beside her floated another four smaller angels, identical to the angel the Fire Lord had tried to protect.

“Get back!”

Trellos pushed Agal towards the elevator, he cared not for Anton. A white field surrounded her. Light surrounded the hands of the four angels and beams shot out towards Trellos. Trellos shrugged off the beams of light and threw the spear at an Angel. The Angel shrieked as the spear cut through her, severing her body in two. The others paid her no mind, even as her body plummeted to the ground, and continued to attack. Agal reached the elevator as white wings burst from Trellos’s back and he leapt into the fray. The larger Angel finally reacted and blocked his strike. It took all four of her hands to hold back his spear but she could stop his attack. Just.

“You don’t belong here.” Trellos tried to rip the spear free. The white light on the Angel’s hands shattered, blood seeped from dozens of tiny cuts but the Angel was unphased. “Go back to your smouldering ruins.”

Definitely have grown up from giggling children. What was that about a smouldering ruin?

“We cannot return.” The Angel’s soft voice echoed and reverberated strangely. “And I will not sacrifice our followers for your kind.”

Trellos threw his spear at another of the Small Angles. The Large Angel swatted the spear aside, shredding and breaking her hand. As the spear began to fly back the Large Angel raised her other hands, not at Trellos but at the Green Crystal in the centre of the room.

“Get away from there!” Agal yelled as the elevator’s doors closed.

Trellos charged at the Large Angel but he was too late. The beams of light struck the Green Crystal, disintegrating the smaller spinning crystals before breaking the edge of the giant crystal. Green light burst out of the cracks and the crystal exploded. Anton’s vision was overwhelmed as he flew backwards. He smashed into the far wall, his hand managed to keep a hold of Longinious before he felt himself begin to fall. Panic and fear filled his every thought as he came to a terrifying conclusion. He was falling. The air buffeted his body, tossing and spinning his form as he fell helplessly down towards the ground below. His eyes locked onto a broken shard of the White Spire, resting against the main structure at a steep angle.

“Damn it!” Longinious’s voice was barely audible over the rushing wind. “I couldn’t-”

“Can you move me towards that broken fragment?! I might be able to slow down against that thing. My body’s a lot stronger than it normally is.”

“I’ll try!”

Longinious began to fire everything she could. When the larger sphere fired he moved ever so slightly. Just as he was starting to relax, as much as one could when hurtling to his potential death, a white beam of light struck his hand holding Longinious.

“Master!”

Longinious tumbled away beyond Anton’s reach and struck the White Spire, bouncing off and flying away towards the golden forests below.

Anton looked above him. One of the Small Angels followed him down, maintaining a large distance as she continued to attack him.

“Fuck off!” Anton yelled, petulantly thrashing as a bolt struck his leg, turning his ethereal form into gritty sand. “I don’t want to be here! And I’m not helping them either!”

The Angel either did not hear or care as she continued to attack. For the first time in ages Anton felt truly helpless. Normally he had some weapon, someone or something to rely on but now he was completely defenceless. He could only watch the Angel batter his body with hit after hit.

“I’ll find your god and rip their head off!” Anton shouted.

His back hit something, sending him tumbling further away from the White Spire. In the distance he saw Longinious, still tumbling away White Spire. Another blast of light struck his arm and rendered it immobile.

Something caught his eye. A dark speck moved at great speed towards the Angel parallel to Anton. A Dragon wielding a very long pike. Anton did not know whether to feel dread or elation. The creature beat its wings and flew up, pointing its weapon at the Angel. She continued following Anton but raised her hands towards the Dragon. The blasts of light barely phased the Dragon as it flew higher, pulled its wings close and dove towards her.

“You will not interfere.” The Angel’s voice reverberated, even through the rushing air.

The Angel shot a final blast at Anton’s chest before flying away to deal with the Dragon. She only managed a single volley before the Dragon threw the pike and impaled her. The Angel screamed as she plummeted to the ground, trashing and writhing against the white pike jutting out of her stomach.

Anton wanted to cheer but he was rapidly approaching the ground. Longinious had long since vanished from his sight and he was nearing the next part of the broken sliver of the wall. He shouted to the Dragon, there was little else he could do, but the creature ignored him. It flew back up to the battle and began to fight the other Angels.

“You could have fucking dragged me up there too!”

Anton knew he was shouting into the void but there was little else he could do. His thoughts only drifted to those he might leave behind as he struck the surface of the White Spire’s broken outer wall again and again. With each impact his head began to turn to the white sand. After a few hits it was nearly impossible to think, a few more and he fell completely unconscious. No mind falling back into the inky blackness but simply ceasing to be. Ceasing to think. By the time he reached halfway his body was nothing more than a white rag-doll, an insignificant speck tumbling down towards the ground as the battle raged unabated.