*Authors note*

This is very much a '1st draft' of an idea I had and ran with. Version 2 is better but still has a long way to go before I post it anywhere.

*AN end*

I awoke with a groan.

OW.

I must have landed face first. So my costume doesn't protect against cold, hard floors, good to know. Despite the aches in my arms I rolled over and sat up, still in one piece at least. Where am I? I tried looking around for any source of light. Nope. Pitch black. I felt out with my power only to find nothing but earthworms and handful of spiders and flies which were sharing whatever complex I was in. I brought the flies to me. Now then, what is that nearest spider clung to?

A dozen flies landed next to the spider and I could make out the shape of a metal cone. On the wall? Torch? I gingerly pushed myself up and walked over. A grand total of 27 flies and 5 spiders not counting the bugs in my flight pack, some swarm, but it's enough to feel my way round. As I walked I got a sense of the room, if I ball-parked? It would probably be about a 30 foot square and empty. There were eight torches in pairs flanking an entranceway in each wall and the large stone circle on the floor about a foot thick below a domed ceiling. I removed the torch out of its holder and pulled out my box of matches and tissues. Crouching with the torch between my knees I lit a match igniting the tissue I'd packed into the top of the torch which promptly exploded with light.

I stood torch in hand trying to blink the stars from my eyes and saw a red trickle on the right lens of my mask. So that's what stings? I applied pressure to my forehead with my free hand and stepped onto the round stone slab. The torchlight let me see the engravings which I had felt. The first things that came to mind was Medieval and creepy. At the centre was a circle surrounded by a triangle with curved sides facing inwards surrounded by three small stepped pyramids. Further out was a mosaic of faces which ranged from human to demonic, horns and all, to the esoteric. Around the edge was text.

"CREATURES OF THE UNDERWORLD AND GREAT POWER SHALL BE YOURS TO COMMAND WITH A DROP OF LIFEBLOOD SHOULD YOU DESIRE – VIRKJA DỲFLISSU HJARTA"

"Huh" is this some kind of temple to dark gods? Mmm, probably better to look around before I decide to mutter things in an unknown language.

I glanced at the torch. Odd. The flames where hovering a few inches above the opening letting me see inside. Empty? It wasn't before, what's burning?

Mmm, which corridor do I explore first?

I shrugged and walked to the torches partner and lit it averting my eyes. A short trip down the corridor led me to a dead end and a room about as big as the first one. I lit all the torches I could find as I scoped the place.

Ten minutes later I was back looking at the stone disc. The hallways in front and behind me led to dead end rooms, to my right was a T-junction with two same sized rooms and my left was a cross road, two more rooms either side, straight on led to a collapsed roof. I had sent flies between the rubble only to find packed earth. While worms confirmed the tunnel continued well beyond my powers range, I doubted I could dig through the cave in.

I glanced back to the bass relief figures decorating the walls that left me feeling uncomfortable. Nude women in various suggestive poses, pairs with limbs entwined in an embrace, arms stretched above their head to 'hold up' the ceiling or 'holding' the torch mountings. I bet Alec would love this place.

How did I end up 'here' anyway? The last thing I remember was leaping off the oilrig to escape Scions attack and the feeling of my legs disintegrating which was decidedly disturbing, then splashing in the sea. Am I dead? This could be Hell, or at least the waiting room?

I wonder? "Door-maker, Earth Gimel."

My echo faded. Nope, it was worth a try.

I stared at the small pool of congealed blood where my head landed.

Well Taylor, want to try your hand at an incantation?