Homeward bound
Returning to Tanzanite, hauling the load of precious materials the Haruspex elder had requested, Bonnie reflected on her times so far on Next Island. “What a strange and wonderful land” she thought, glancing out over the tropical paradise she had spent the last few months exploring. This last mission had been quite the test, particularly that run in with the Megalodon, but deep down she longed to return home to Ancient Greece. She knew the next part of her quest would involve Molochs, and it would seem her chance to return home, back through the portal the Haruspex had created, would be now.
Lugging the last of the crystals and oils past the palm tree, she handed them over to the elder. " I hope it is all there" Bonnie joked, as the thousands of crystals tumbled out the bag. Her mission was complete, now it was time to head back to Troy on Ancient Greece, and find these depths where the molochs live.
Arriving in the cave where the portal is, she took one last glance around the Island paradise, took a deep breath, closed her eyes and was instantly transported to a place she was much more familiar with. “Ah that’s more like it!” she declared, opening her eyes and being surrounded by the pillars and art of Ancient Greece. She headed home to Menelausia to drop off the treasures she had collected, and check all was well. The estate was pristine as always, she sighed in relief and took in a deep breath of the fresh sweet smelling are. A mixture of the warm sands, salt from crashing waves, and perfume from the nearby flowers filled the air. “Now this truly is home” she smiled. “But there’s trouble here” Her smile turned to determination. There was a new sense of urgency in her mind. Before she was trying to help save a land for others and reap the rewards, but now it was different, she would not let these Demra fuelled Molochs run riot across these lands if they are allowed to keep this new and powerful armour, whatever it may be.
The Titans
The sun baked down the the market square at Thebes, Bonnie was collecting the last of the materials she would need on her journey down into the Molochs Depths. Unsure as to what she was about to face, she decided it would be best to meet with her crew, the Titans of Space, the band of interplanetary warriors who she had fought alongside many times before, both here and across the universe.
“If we could manage the Gorgons and blooming Zeus himself, I am sure we can manage some cows… " Bonnie joked. The others were quite sure too, they had all met Molochs previously around the islands, so they had a rough idea what they should expect. “What do you guys know about Demra?” She asked hopefully. “Demra?” Her friend questioned, " clearly not very much” Bonnie teased. “It’s just, well these Molochs are supposed to be under the influence of this stuff, and we don’t seem to know all that much about it. “You think too much” the Admiral taunted her, " lets just go and do what we do best, kill them!” “I sure hope this armour will be worth it” Her friend joked. However deep down Bonnie had that pang again, that feeling that things had changed for her, she was not just here to reap the reward for finding the armour, but taking it off those Demra inspired Molochs would mean they wont have the power to take control of her land… her land… she smiled in spite of her self and how intertwined she had become with this place, something she had never imagined would have been possible after so many years as an interplanetary nomad.
The team gathered the remaining items they needed from the market and made their way to Troy. Bonnie felt glad to be working along side her crew again, each of whom had also completed the same quest from the elder in order to gain access to the molochs depths, and excited about what they may find down there.
Into the Depths
Troy, an ancient legendary city, the site of some of the most epic and well know battles of millennia. But here as Bonnie and the crew arrived and looked around, it was a shadow of its former self. Although For what the city lacked in buildings here, it mimic the legend she remembered from ancient earth of the most with the main building upon the tell, but quite possible more to be found in the valleys and gulley’s surrounding. She followed the path down, and sure as fate would have it a vast valley appeared before them. “This will be it then” she shouted to the others who were following behind. Taking stock of their surroundings, there were cages, which seemed perfectly fit for human size, and a long winding path to a vast set of gates.
The approached the gates and beyond they could see a beautifully structured layered garden. Or so it seemed. Crossing over the gate would be the place where they would be checked for worthiness, it had not been the first time each of them had been struck down by such a gate. Taking a deep breath, Bonnie stepped through ( admittingly closing her eyes). Opening them, hesitantly, she peered around and sighed a huge sigh of relief. The rest of the team filtered through without quite the same hesitation.
Each path led past impressive fires and carefully placed water features. It somehow didn’t quite look like the battle ground they had expected. She pondered on this for a moment, then it became clear. This was never supposed to be a battle ground, it was to be a place where Moloch craftsmen were to perfect their work and create something quite special, until of course the decided to keep it for themselves.
There were 3 shimmering huge doors. Each with what seemed to be an image of the fate that lay beyond, which did not seem all that appealing! However they had got this far, and this was no time to be afraid. It was time to take back what was theirs, once and for all.
The open cage
Drip, drip, drip, the blood dripping from the cages was relentless. They hang they above the heads of all those who dared enter the depths. It splattered the walls, smeared across… everything. “What had happened down here” Bonnie thought, squinting in the darkness trying to make out the shadowy figures approaching.
It was dark, damp and had that smell of a place that had seen a lot of death. Bonnie wondered if those Molochs who had not turned to against the haruspex. had suffered a brutal fate at the hands of their brethren. Or if the cages contained the remains of hapless warriors before her, knowing that the gods of Ancient Greece were using helpfully in resurrecting those who meet an early demise, but down here they may be force to an eternity in a cage. Drip, drip, drip… it continued. Bonnie shuddered.
As her eyes adjusted to the light, she soon realised she was completely surrounded by the Molochs. Oddly none of them seemed to be reacting to her presence, they seemed to be somewhat mindlessly controlled by the Demra. “Alright, lets see how tough these bad boys really are” Bonnie thought whilst charging up her powerful electric mindforce. She hit the first one which immediately turned to attack her. They were mighty and strong with health, but not undefeatable and certainly not with the might of the Gorgons she had fought previously. Upon each death she was able to loot the creatures for what they held, but as of yet none of them had any sort of armour. Checking with her friends they too had not reported finding anything of interest. It seemed they would have to kill many of these creatures to get to the ones who may have already completely built a piece of the armour, and take it before they put it to use. This was not going to be an easy task, but one which must be done none the less.