"Theo!"
Zenith's voice, calling his name. Sharp and urgent.
Theo's Levia rippled in response. But something was missing, something that should have been there. A deep blue Levia like the night sky, glittering with stars.
Until now, he hadn't realized how familiar it had become. Even if it hadn't given him any power, its gentle warmth had filled something inside him. Without it, he felt empty, aching.
"Theo!" Zenith shouted again, louder.
Then another voice screamed directly in his ear. "Wake up, sleepyhead!"
Theo bolted upright, yelling a string of curses. The sudden motion made nausea swoop through his head, but he didn't have time to recover before Sam's face loomed in his vision.
"There you go! Come on, get up! Up!"
"Sam," Zenith said, sounding a little alarmed.
"I'm okay," Theo said quickly. He waved Sam aside and rose to his feet, forcing strength into his weak muscles. His legs swayed, but to his relief he didn't fall.
A thrill ran down his spine. They were no longer in Dr. Markov's office. No, this...seemed like the museum's dinosaur hall? Except the floor was pitch-black, as were the bones of the dinosaurs on display. And rather than arranged in formal exhibits, they floated around the hall at all sorts of bizarre angles, like he'd stepped into a demented Escher painting.
With every breath, frost clouded the air. But it wasn't half as cold as that chill still gripping his chest, almost overwhelming his Levia.
"This...it's...it's an Infernal Legion arena," he whispered, sick with dread.
Sam nodded fiercely. "I dunno what happened – "
"It's obvious," Ryllis cut in, her voice harsh. "That guy betrayed us."
She wore her full armor, face hidden behind her helmet. An ashen-faced Jin clung to her leg, ears pricked and tail bristling.
Theo wanted to scream. Or vomit. Or maybe both. He'd been right not to trust Dr. Markov. Now – now –
"I don't get it," Sam was saying, but her voice sounded distant. "Is he working with the Legion? Or is he a thrall?"
"No time to wonder. We've gotta get out of here. Find the others." Pointing her spear, Ryllis scanned the arena.
The others? Theo looked around too, and his heart jolted when he realized he didn't see anyone else. Just him, Zenith, Sam, Ryllis, Jin.
His dread deepened, dragging like a stone in his gut. A thousand furious voices screamed in his head. 'I should never have let go of it. I should never have….'
A creak of armor, a dim blue glow. Zenith moved in front of him. "It will be all right, Theo," he said, his voice soft. "I won't let any harm come to you."
So he said, but Theo sensed the tension sharpening his Levia. He was just as worried as Theo, just as uncertain, especially now that he'd been separated from his liege.
To his horror, a bitter spike of jealousy lodged in Theo's heart. He'd never hated himself more. Now, of all times –
His Levia surged, searingly hot. But at least it wiped the jealousy away. The others sensed it too; everyone tensed, and Ryllis and Zenith readied their weapons.
A flash of black smoke, and two figures appeared atop the Diplodocus skeleton floating at the top of the hall.
One of them swept into an exaggerated bow, purple braids bouncing. Her eyes glowed like poison in the darkness.
"Lyura?" Theo gasped. But something about her seemed different.
Her clothes, he realized. They were skimpy as ever, but now sported epaulets and gleaming braid.
An Infernal Legion uniform.
Lyura's shrill giggle echoed around the cavernous space until it sounded like dozens of Lyuras were laughing along with her. "Aw, you remember me? That's so sweet!"
Still giggling, she jumped off the skeleton. Chakrams flashed in her hands. "Now it's time for round two! Can't wait to kick your ass again, Mr. Knight!"
"You wish," Theo said hotly. "Oliver's not here to help you cheat."
"Ha, who needs a whiny little brat like him? I've got something even better!"
The second figure drifted down from the skeleton, floating like a dandelion seed in the wind. A woman, unnaturally tall and skinny, white hair streaming behind her head like a shroud. He long, twisting horns were the color of old bone.
She raised her hands, spreading spindly fingers. Levia rippled through the air, deep and bitter, and Theo watched in horror as all the skeletons around the arena began rattling. Then the Diplodocus tore one massive foot free from its base, stretched its neck and tossed its head.
Seemed Jin would get to see his dinosaurs after all. Just not quite in the way he'd wanted.
~*~
Everywhere Meg looked, she saw Ghost and Phantom copies. Floating above and below, surrounding the hall in a ring.
Where there weren't copies, display cases drifted instead. The rocks inside, from the meteorite samples to the museum's one-of-a-kind blue diamond, had all turned black as shadow.
"Wh-wh-what – what – what the fuck is going on here?" Ryan screamed, clutching his hair.
Right, he'd never seen an Infernal Legion arena before. "We've been ambushed by the Infernal Legion," Meg said. "Stay close to me. We're going to have to fight our way out."
"What – what – " Ryan kept gibbering. He kicked his legs back and forth as if he was trying to swim through the dark void.
"Ryan…." Avia spoke, to Meg's surprise. "Calm...down."
"It's too late!" every one of the copies shouted at once, their combined voices rumbling through the arena. "There's no escape!"
"What did you to do to Gene?" Meg demanded, clenching her hand into a trembling fist. "Where is he?"
"Worried about him even though he betrayed you? Typical human," a soft voice sneered, and a new demon emerged from behind a display case. A mask covered his face, while his feet had talons like a bird of prey's. Most remarkably, dozens of knives revolved around him like the rings of a planet, their blades gleaming in the darkness.
"I know Gene, he's a good man. He would never willingly work for the Infernal Legion. So what did you do to him?" Meg's voice rose to a shout, cracking like a whip.
"He has served his purpose, that's all. Now you will serve yours." The demon raised a hand, and the knives turned midair until every single one of them pointed at Meg.
Growling, fur standing on end, Lodo moved in front of her. Green light blazed from above as Avia summoned an arrow. Seemed Ryan had regained his wits.
So Meg followed suit, casting a power-up spell on Lodo. She didn't know what was going on, where the others were. But she didn't have time to wonder.