in the depths

[Abaddon]

The hallway was dark. The large steel re-enforced double door stood, steadfast in the basement of the House of Chance. Huge, metal and heavily chained, this door was different from any other in the House. All the other doors and locks had been designed, carefully crafted to keep intruders out. This was the only door crafted to keep something in.

The ancient Valkyn runes carved into the door. Strange twisty cruciform symbology. The door seemed to strain against chains, slowly rattling them as though to door was breathing. But that was not the case. The strange pull was the creature called YAZEL, bound in that room, bound according to ancient and nearly forgot laws called out in the Book of Names.

Abaddon approached the door, leaning on his cane. He took a deep breath and began to unlock the chains. It took a few minutes. Seven locks for seven keys. Each one different than the last. Each one was one of the sacred stones on the Valkyn’vi wheel.

Kami, silent as always stood in the back. Pale skin and dark hair. Beautiful and young. Naïve. She held the copper bowl. Old, and covered in a strange brown gunk. It was hammered out by hand, and slightly lopsided from time.

Abaddon opened the doors and was assaulted by the smell of the room. Alien and metallic, it managed to evoke the memory of flesh and doom. It was cold in the room. Colder than even the basement stones should have been. As though Yazel’s presence sucked the energy right out of the room.

“ABADDON” it said, loud enough to make the old man’s ears bleed if it hadn’t been in his head. “WHAT IS IT LIKE TO FAIL AS SOLIDLY AS YOU DO?”

“Quiet. We have more important business than my failings. “ Abaddon said, closing the door tight and turning back to the creature.

He took his mask off, porcelain and warm to the touch and set it down. His pale skin ran Goosebumps as the air touched skin for the first time in a while. The old man stripped down to just pants, and Kami, silently as always helped him kneel upon the stone floor.

The circle, within it a seven pointed star. Each point of the star anointed with one of the seven Valkyn’vi Gems: Emerald, ruby, diamond, sapphire, amber, pearl, and of course, Onyx. Silver metalwork laid into the floor made up the lines of the circle and the star. Valkyn runes upon the floor glowed faintly in the shadows of the room. The torch flickered upon the wall.

“Yazel I invoke you.” Abaddon said, turning the copper bowl in front of him. “Karthan’sharath’martatxex.”

A shower of sparks as the being slammed into the wall of magic. Straining against the pull, it was revealed by showers of sparks. Alien, and tentacled horror that it was. No features per say but a strange bubbling mass. And then it could not be seen. The ground shook. Lightning crashed against the walls.

“I call your true name. The shadow name used to bind you by the ancient Valkyn, and by the Shadow Binders of the Valkyn’vi. I demand you take the sevenfold oath for another year and one day.” Abaddon said.

“YOU KNOW THE PRICE. WILL YOU PAY IT?” echoed the room, loud and horrible.

“I Pay it in my blood. An offering. A symbolic link. My sevenfold OATH binds me to you as it does you to me.” Abaddon says. He stabs himself in the left arm, and a trickle of blood washes into the copper bowl. Electricity fills the room.

“YOUR ESSENCE WILL BE MINE. WHEN YOU DIE, I WILL HAVE EVERYTHING. YOU WILL NEVER SEE MISTRIALLA.” It screams. Abaddon’s nose gushes with blood and his lips are died and cracked.

“I agree to the terms.” Abaddon says, tipping the bowl of blood into a channel into the floor. It flows, slowly, as if being called into the circle.

“SO BE IT. BUT YOU CAN NOT CHEAT DEATH. YOUR ESSENCE WILL BE MINE AND NOTHING WILL SAVE YOU.” Sparks fly from the circle, and a rain of ash fills the room. It is still cold. So cold that fingers hurt and toes ache. And then he is gone. Only the large spider on The old Valkyn’vi’s shoulder remains.

The wound in his arm is already closing. He tried to stand, and failed, falling to the floor with a thump. Kami pulled him up and helped him to his feet. He dressed. He was shivering.

They opened the door, making sure to lock it securely behind them.