Karth fought and struggled between the two captors. His black eyes stared straight ahead, not daring to give in to the captor's demands. The shackles that tightened around his muscular arms clanked throughout the death filled cavern. The shackles that restrained his strong legs dragged him down to his knees.
He felt blood drip down his bruised face but he was too weak to care about anything. He didn't care where he was going or what would happen to him, Karth just knew that if he died here then the pain would be gone.
As the assassin and his captors descended deeper into the dark cavern, the air around them became frozen. The stone walkway started to give out from under their feet as the captors braced themselves against the clay walls for support. Both captors and Karth had to crouch down as the cavern descended into a pool of water.
Karth was immediately dragged down into the depth as the shackles that dug into his ankles weighed him down. He did all he could to try and flail around hoping to reach the surface. As the seconds turned into minutes he felt himself lose consciousness as his eyes started to pulse into the back of his head. Karth sank to the bottom of the pool and hit the clay bottom as a pair of arms tightened around him and pulled him to the surface.
"Come on you," one of the captors said in a deep and accented voice. "Can't have you dying before we get to our destination."
The assassin was dragged to the stone as he coughed and spat up water and caught his breath. Still not speaking, he let the captors continue to pry and push him around as they continued to walk deeper into the darkness.
Stairs hit his feet as Karth stumbled down them. He was no longer in a crouched position as the cavern opened up and the darkness seemed to get lighter. The assassin could see where they were now as the two captors and Karth entered into an enormous cave. Torches flickered in their wall sconces as the room was lit up. It was still as murky as the rest of the cavern but Karth didn't care as he was just happy to see light.
The two captors led the assassin over to a giant statue that stood in the middle of the room. As he was led to it, the Karth saw how massive it was. It was the height of ten fully grown men and it was made of white marble with silver plating. On its hind legs stood a dragon with a human riding on the back. The human had long hair and had the build of a warrior. His sword was raised over his head and his fierce eyes stared straight ahead.
The floor of the room was filled with golden tiles that crawled up the walls but was eventually overtaken by webs of ivory that weaved its way through the cracks. Karth had no idea where he was but remained on his guard as he felt himself stop and the captors' grip loosened and released him.
One by one hooded figures with red robes started to fill the room. Each one marching in unison and chanting words the assassin did not understand. From all sides they filed in, each one carrying a small orb around their neck.
It took several minutes before all the figures were in the room. Karth no longer saw his captors for he was now enclosed in a circle with the statue and him the focal point. The chanting stopped abruptly as in unison the robed figures bowed down.
A flash of light blinded Karth momentarily as he fell to his knees. The weight of the shackles still digging into his now tender skin. When he had regained his eyesight, a woman stood in front of him. Her long red hair fell loosely onto her back. Her silk robe covered her body loosely as her green eyes searched deeply into the assassin.
"I have been waiting for you," her soft voice was barely above a whisper.
Karth was still in a shocked stupor as he let her words surround him. He recognized that voice. It was the same one from the Wastelands. The robed figures didn't stop bowing as the woman stared at him smiling. She approached him with arms outreached.
"Do not fear Karth Diem," the woman said calmly as she slowly approached. "You are meant to be here."
Karth stared back for a few minutes before answering. "Who are you and why am I here?"
"Those are both valid questions and they will be answered in due time," the woman seemed to not talk above a whisper. "Do you know who I am?"
Karth blinked but said nothing.
"Well that's disappointing indeed," the woman smiled. "I would have thought my name was well known in your world but no matter it will be in due time. I am called Freyalaria but you may call me Freya."
"That's an interesting name but can I go now," Karth watched as the robed figures raised their heads at him in unison.
Freya clicked her tongue and the robed figures lowered their heads again. "Karth is that any way to talk to your new partner?"
Karth laughed. "I don't do partners. They just get in my way."
"I can assure you that you will want this partnership," Freya glided over to the statue and sat down on the base. "I can make you powerful."
"I already am powerful," Karth went to withdraw his weapons but pawed at air.
"Oh yes I forgot about your battle in the Wastelands," Freya's usual smile turned serious. "You were so powerful you decided to sleep in the sand and let your enemy go."
Those words had the desired effect on Karth as his face turned sour. "I can assure you it won't happen again. Now that he is my enemy, he will not survive."
"That attitude is why I chose you as my partner," Freya's smile returned. "I can make you truly powerful and feared by all those around you."
"Who are you?" Karth asked with a hint of fear glinting in his eyes.
"I am the Goddess of the Underworld," Freya rose from the statue she was sitting on and approached Karth, who stumbled back a few steps.
"You're the Goddess of Death," Karth gasped. "That means I died in the hands of those things." He pointed to the two Dwellers who dragged him through the cave.
Freya laughed, a truly joyous laugh, at the assassin. "That is so typical of a mortal to not fully understand what is not known to them or what is unseen. I am not the Goddess of Death, its more of a purgatory between realms. Your soul is sent to me and I judge whether you get another chance or leave you to die."
"To my mortal ears that sounds exactly the same as being a god of death," Karth ran to the statue and put his hands on the base. He felt everything from the rough cracked marble to the dust that had built up over the years. "How can I feel everything?"
"You feel what the statue feels like because you have felt this material before and your soul knows what it should feel like," Freya explained calmly. "Now can I tell you how I plan to work with you?"
Karth let out a low chuckle. "I don't have any choice but I am generally interested."
"Well to put it simply I want to retire," Freya paced the room. "This empire is broken and there is way too much death and I am tired of sifting through souls."
"I had no idea gods had a retirement plan," Karth followed her movements around the room. She glided across the room with a quiet powerful grace.
"I want you to kill the emperor and break down the empire so you can build it back better than before," the goddess stopped suddenly and turned to Karth.
Karth was about to speak when Freya did something that he did not expect much less from a goddess. She got down on her knees and begged.
"Please Karth. Please help me rebuild the empire. Please stop all the needless death. Please find your true potential."
The last phrase rang different in his ears. He didn't know if he had a true potential. The only thing he knew how to do was kill but even he had to admit that after that disaster in the Wastelands maybe he wasn't as good as he thought. More power would be nice if even for the fact that he didn't want to keep turning up unconscious with the fear that he may never wake up.
"I will help you," Karth's face showed calm but inside he was a jumbled mess. "If you want fire then I will be your kerosene."
"That's perfect, "Freya rose and smiled. She glided toward Karth and placed her hands gently upon his shoulders. A white light immediately started to glow from her hands as waves of light pulsed to him.
Karth felt nothing save her hands upon him. Within seconds it was over but he felt no different. He was about to say so to the goddess before he immediately fell unconscious.