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I turned back to Lucas. “How did you get out of the pit? I couldn’t move.”
Lucas shrugged, like it’d been all too easy for him. “I gave into it.”
Those words held a darker meaning than he would say out loud, and my heart sank for him. He’d been living with these thoughts for so long that he didn’t even try fighting them anymore.
“I’m sorry,” I told him.
“Don’t be.” Lucas helped me to my feet. “Let’s get moving. The Wands have to be around here somewhere.”
“Here, let me help,” Chloe offered. She lifted her hand and used her telekinesis to drag the sludge from our bodies, leaving us dry again.
“Where do we start?” Grant asked.
I peered through a cloud of steam, where a shadowed figure took shape in the distance. I pointed. “Maybe we should ask him.”
Chloe placed her hands on her hips. “You really want to get tortured on your first day here?”
“We need to start somewhere,” I insisted. “Do you have a better idea?”
Chloe eyed me a moment, before she said, “Fine, but you’re doing the talking. I’m not about to piss off an eternal being who gets off on torture.”
As we started the trek across the landscape, I noticed the figure was moving—not walking, but floating across the landscape. When we got closer, I realized he was standing on a wooden boat, floating down a stream of lava. I wasn’t sure how the boat didn’t burst into flames; it had to be a magical boat. He wore a long cloak with a hood that covered his face, and he carried a long staff that he used to push the boat along.
“Excuse me, sir!” I called, flagging him down.
He kept his gaze ahead. I didn’t think he’d heard me. “Sir, please! We need your help!”
Again, there was no response.
I quickened my pace, and the others followed until we were running to catch up with the man. We reached the edge of the lava river, and I paused to catch my breath.
Lucas waved his arms at the man. “Hey! Over here! We need your help!”
The man dipped his staff into the lava and continued pushing himself along. I thought he was going to float by us, until I realized he was pushing himself to the bank. He stopped alongside us and lifted his head for the first time.
He appeared old, with wrinkles across his face and hunched shoulders. Beneath his hood, I noticed his ears were pointed.
He was an Elf. The Elves had died out long ago on Earth, so he must’ve been here a while.
He frowned and spoke flatly. “I heard you the first time.”
“We just got here, and we don’t know where we are,” I said. “Can you help us?”
He gestured around. “This place goes by many names. The Eternal Torment, the Underworld, hell—take your pick.”
“Yes, but we don’t know what part of hell we’re in,” I stated. “We’re witches looking for the Abyss.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” the man asked. “I am the Ferryman. It’s my job, honor, and pleasure to ferry you to where you need to go. The witches’ village is downstream, the furthest region from here. It will be a long journey, but not one I’m unable to make. Climb aboard.”
“What’s the catch?” Chloe asked before any of us could move. “You’re a creature of this place. You must have some ulterior motive.”
“Not all who reside in this realm are evil,” he stated. “I choose to be here, as it is my eternal purpose to escort people to their darkest fears, so that they may conquer them.”
“So, you aren’t condemned here?” Talia asked curiously.
“Blessed, no,” the Ferryman said. “I am here to help souls gain clarity so they can ascend to the next level. Nobody living here is condemned, only visiting temporarily, in order to learn more about themselves. Anyone can move through the spiritual realms if they wish—some go up, some go down. Some who started up may go down, and some who started down may go up.”
“So you can still make it to Alora if you start in the Abyss?” Grant asked.
