Allies in the dark?

In no way does the presence of these beasts help your cause, in fact as you watch the four tall figures chanting their alien ritual you feel a growing sense of dread. Why would an army of mindless beasts be so close to where a ritual of such unholy nature is being conducted? Even as you contemplate the horrifying implications of what might be happening, you see the last thing in the world you expected in this gate to Hades.

Two figures, holding softly glowing blue stones in their hands, are staring down at Airlia from a different tunnel. It could be a trap, but unlike the tall figures circling Iola or the half-animal beasts lurking behind the bars, these two are clearly human although hardly the warriors you are hoping for. You study them in silence for the span of ten slow breaths, taking in their leather armor, and odd weaponry. The boy, for the clean shaven lad could hardly be called a man, carries what looks like a farm tool and the young woman by his side seems completely unarmed. What in the name of all the gods is this unlikely pair doing in down here, and how could they have possibly survived in this horror-filled nightmare?

The pair seem so improbable that it must be a trap of some kind, and yet in your heart you cannot help but trust that this odd couple might be the shift in the odds that you and Lykiaos so desperately need. Moving forward silently, you reach the point where you can start to understand some of what they are saying.

"-many of -----, Cas---." The scrawny lad is arguing, "I hate t- ----- - -- -lea-- her there----." The young woman's voice is louder and clearer as she argues with the boy.

"We can't leave her to die, not like that. I don't care what the odds are." The boy takes her hands in his and whispers something completely inaudible the makes the young woman smile and lean her head against his. Dear Gods on Olympus, the two innocents are in love! It is as plain as the rising sun, and although it makes you question how useful the pair might be, any thought of them belonging to this long abandoned Hell-hole is wiped from your mind. You move towards them again, slowly with your open hands outstretched in what you hope is as inoffensive way as possible. So intent are the two love-birds on each other and the chanting demons below that you are only four paces away when the young man finally sees you.

"Stay back demon!" He whispers fiercely and the glow of blue from his hands shifts in your direction. "I'll burn you to ashes, you and your friends down there."

"Wow, boy." You whisper back hoping that the pair's odd lights don't silhouette your frame for the demons below to see. "I'm as human as you are and I think we both need as much help as we can get right about now."

"What do you think Cassia," the young man asks his dark-haired companion from the side of his mouth. "Can you get a reading on her?"

"She's human, Adonis." The girl's hands reach towards you like a blind man searching for a wall. "There is both light and dark in her soul, but I think she means what she says." It is hardly a resounding endorsement, but in all honesty it seems a fair assessment of who you are." Thankfully the young man, who is older than you first thought, lowers his blue-light and steps back in a silent invitation for you to join them in the darkened tunnel.

"What do you want?" He asks, still holding the heavy-bladed excavation tool between you and where they stand. At this point you see no reason to be evasive.

"My friends and I followed Airlia there into the darkness. We're here to rescue her but we're running out of time."

"We can help." The confidence in the young woman's voice belies her age, "what do you want us to do." It is a sign of just how **** you are that you see these two as a useful **** to augment you and Lykiaos.

"Give me two minutes to get into position and then when things start heating up do what you can." You point roughly across the bowl to where you came in, "We came in from there; its a ten minute run to get out."

"Wait." the young woman stops you as you're about to turn away. "There is a much closer ward-room just through those doors and up one level. I can lead you there." Adonis nods his head in agreement and with a shrug of your shoulders you agree to let this odd young woman be your guide. With that small miracle you turn back to where you know Lykiaos must be getting very impatient. Moving far faster on the way back you reach him in fewer than twenty slow breaths and fill him in on the plan.

"Can you trust them?" He asks when you tell him that they are going to lead you to a nearby exit, his words echoing your doubts.

"We don't really have much choice," you tell him with as much confidence as you can muster in this morbid pit. "If they've been able to move around down here there must be more to them than meets the eye." Lykiaos studies you for a moment and then nods in agreement.

By now the four figures below are reaching what can only be the bloody conclusion of their ritual and you know you no longer have time to talk. "I'll strike first," You tell him, as soon as I make my move, light the spear and bring it down to me. Hopefully our lovers can at least provide a diversion and give us a chance to drive off the others. You turn to Iola holding a small knife in your hand hilt first, "As soon as you can, cut your sister free and drag her off that damn altar. Got it?" Her eyes widen but she takes the knife without a word. There really is more to this young woman that you would have ever thought when you first met her. Too bad that even if this hair-brained adventure of yours works out the pretty bitch and her young sister is going to be captured by those damn Helios invaders.

With that depressing thought you slip once again into the darkness getting as close as you can to the demon who is standing at Airlia's head with a brutal looking obsidian knife in his outstretched hands. That bastard at least, you decide grimly, is not going to finish his fucking ceremony.