A Spiral of Time

The interior of the Zonosor was a wretched place. Amid all the torment that spun around the twenty-five prisoners like mesh, the younger members of the group withdrew behind a wall of solitude. All sat on low benches of flat metal beams, supported by steel crates. They had never seen anything so horrific, but none could tear their eyes away. The scene was beyond belief. In front of them sat Rogg, a huge Hadesian guard, perched on a giant metal stool. His forked burgundy tongue flickered feverishly; the only clothing he wore was a grimy piece of cloth, fastened at the waist by a single knot. The fearsome reptilian munched on a leg of rotten meat, ripping at it with serrated teeth while thick saliva dripped onto the floor. Its foul stench forced the captives to lean away. Onyx felt a low rumble in his stomach. He chose not to stare at Rogg as the Hadesian gnawed on the rancid, meat-laced bone and waved it in their direction. Although the boy was hungry, his appetite quickly disappeared. “Ugh! Disgusting!” Jade muttered. Rogg raised the bone in the air, a signal for his subordinates. They were rather slow to respond. Not impressed, he grunted and growled loudly. Four more ferocious reptilians, carrying flaming torches, appeared out of the gloom. The eyes of the Crystallites widened as they saw thick green phlegm dripping from open mouths. Somehow, the prisoners managed to remain composed while the grotesque guards lumbered around, finding wall brackets for their torches. A strange growl from Rogg encouraged his captives to stay focused. At his command, bags made of loosely woven fabric were slipped over the heads of the prisoners. Some of the Crystallites screamed as the stinking cloth covered their faces and hung limp around their necks. The tall guards bent over their distraught captives and kept a close eye on them. Petite wrists and ankles were bound with heavy shackles. Each prisoner was roughly hauled to his or her feet by one arm; they struggled to stay upright. Several of them cowered as their knees buckled. Every muscle in their shoulders and backs strained. Rogg spoke in a low, rumbling voice that built to a thunderous shout. “Don’t bother screaming, you sniveling little rats! There’s no one to help you. We should’ve eaten you when we had the chance. It’s the only way to deal with creatures like you! Now, believe it or not, I’ve actually been ordered to protect you and keep you safe while we take you through the underbelly on the conveyor belt!” The black slits of his eyes narrowed as he grabbed a torch from the wall; a spurt of flame shot out in their direction. The Crystallites feared for their lives. All sensed they were in grave danger. Finally, as the last prisoner was lifted onto the belt, the guard jerked his thumb upward. Hematite, standing at the head of the line, was jolted against his heavy chains as the conveyor belt began to move. They produced a jangling sound, and the motion almost caused the elder to topple over. He peered intently through his bag and was just able to make out the figures of his captors. With shoulders hunched, they glared at their prisoners, their mouths curled in wicked smiles. He was startled when one unexpectedly looked in his direction and growled, “Tell me, Elder. How does Obsidian expect us to make it through this tunnel and keep you lot alive?” Hematite bravely held the guard’s fearful stare through the cloth, wishing he could disappear. He swallowed, then answered warily, “Faith.” The reptilian shoved his ugly face close to Hematite’s. His hot, foul breath wafted through the material into the elder’s nostrils. Evil black eyes raked over him with hatred. “What faith? Oh, so you think you’re a little god too, do you, pathetic, miserable creature! Food, that’s what you are! A couple of measly mouthfuls!” As they traveled further into the bowels of the Zonosor, claustrophobia and panic set in. Strange-looking rogue rats scurried away from the flaming torches. Superimposed on the dreadful scene was a putrid odor. The smell was so potent it made the Crystallites feel nauseated. They kept their heads bowed most of the time, staring despondently at the belt. When the prisoners looked sideways, they caught a frightening glimpse of countless depraved eyes staring at them from the darkness. Eight more enormous prison guards approached the conveyor belt and climbed aboard. The Crystallites heard vulgar, guttural cries of frustration in the distance and whispering voices close by. Their hands trembled. The sound of the whispering voices grew louder, a repugnant sound with no visible source. The tunnel seemed to go on forever. Dim lights turned into blurred streaks as the belt picked up speed. Rasping sounds echoed throughout the depressing tunnel. The atmosphere was volatile. Then the belt slowed, and without warning an enormous reptilian form appeared out of the shadows. He lunged with outstretched arms at the moving belt, but the Crystallites were just out of reach. They were approaching the foundry, a treacherous zone where hundreds of ravenous workers labored in unbelievable heat, melting down tons of iron ore and other metals. Molten ore shot out from nearby furnaces and sprayed the conveyor belt. The Crystallites screamed. Boiling hot steam lined the far side of the tunnel and fierce winds blew, carrying a continual, fiery rain. The prisoners tried to raise their restricted hands in an attempt to shelter one another, but the hot downpour still fell on many, stinging and burning delicate skin. Hematite tried speaking with the others using telepathy, which distracted him from his gloomy thoughts. In his fatigued mind, he tried to contact Aphrodite but received no response. Despite the elder’s courageous attempt to appear calm, his distress was obvious to all. Many curious, hungry reptilians stopped work and turned to stare greedily, salivating, at the Crystallites. More volatile beasts lunged at them, so Rogg ordered extra guards to climb onto the belt to protect his charges. His orders were to deliver the prisoners safely to the gatekeeper’s dungeon, ready for inspection by Obsidian. Rogg noticed a commotion up ahead and narrowed his eyes. As he came closer, he realized what was happening. His angry voice boomed through the tunnel. The belt slowed to a halt and the senior guard jumped off. He stomped away in the direction of the noisy bunch of workers. Without authorization, these foolish workers had unlocked several large metal containers filled with bees. Unaware of Rogg’s arrival, they were jubilantly smearing the golden goo all over their grimy bodies, thrilled by its flavor. They heard a thunderous roar behind them and froze. “I demand to know who gave you filthy imbeciles permission to eat the captain’s honey? He is going to be absolutely furious!” One opened his sticky mouth to speak, but Rogg continued to yell. “You rotten, thieving scoundrels! You have work to do! You don’t have time to eat! Get back to work before I have you beaten, you good-for-nothing wretches!” Later, after the news of this crime reached Obsidian, he gave orders for all those guilty to be starved to death in solitary confinement. Rogg jumped back on board and gave a signal. The belt jerked into life again. The Crystallites craned their necks and strained their eyes, curious about their surroundings. Above, there appeared to be many levels of varying sizes, each one occupied by hundreds of aggressive-looking Hadesians. Other conveyor belts could be seen beside steep metal staircases leading to higher levels. Some branched off to cover vast floors stretching farther than their eyes could see. Their belt rounded a sweeping curve and came to a halt as the Crystallites drew level with a metal platform. There was an eerie silence as the guards proceeded to remove the prisoners from the belt. Rogg and the other guards wore a new expression on their faces—a strange mixture of eager anticipation and anxiety.