It was baffling to Ciel where all the people appeared from or where they disappeared to. He shook his head with a smile. What was there to be surprised about? This was a world created by the Teotihuacan Spider Woman. She was the Great Goddess who ruled the underworld. Perhaps this was but a memory of her heyday, when she was worshiped and was at her most powerful.
Ciel and George were surrounded by ghostly people as they crowded around the foot of the step pyramid. These people didn't seem to be able to see them as they gazed worshipfully at the altar at the top of the pyramid. Ciel squinted to see a figure at the top of the pyramid, trying to make out the person who was standing against the brilliant sunlight. Wait... sunlight?
"The cave is gone." George had noticed the irregularity as well. But after that, a shadow was cast on the edge of the sun; the eclipse was starting.
Ciel gasped before looking at George. They exchanged glances before running at full speed up the pyramid. The steep stone steps posed no challenge to the both of them. But before they could move any further, two hulking figures suddenly blocked their path. Tall warriors with tanned skin clad in furs and feathered headdress stood before them. They brandished spears with obsidian points at them.
"These people..." They were not the ghostly images like the worshippers at the foot of the pyramid. There was colour to their everything; from the olive tan of their skin to the coal black in their eyes and hair. He could see the black spots on the ochre yellow pelt that adorned his shoulders. There were copper bracelets inlaid with jade and turquoise. Every colour on this man was vivid, alive. He was real; not some memory of the Great Goddess.
Ciel quickly jerked his head to the left as the spear came speedily towards his face. Beside him, George was doing the same. He quickly pushed his right palm upwards as he knocked the spear and the warrior wielding it off balance. As his hand came back down, he grabbed the shaft of the spear and tugged. Ciel had weakened when lost his wings but he was still far more powerful compared to a mortal man. The man did not just lose his balance; he was flung off the steps of the pyramid entirely.
Ciel did not bother to look at the man falling to his death. Anyone who served the shadows did not deserve his pity. Beside him, George was done disposing of his opponent. Dusting his hands, the both of them continued to make their way up the steps. When they got up to the next level of the pyramid, they were greeted with the sounds of an intense battle. Ciel could see Dawn and his uncle fighting a horde of warriors each one taking on at least four or five of the enemies at once. Ciel immediately ran forward to help before he was grabbed by the arm. He turned to see George with a rather conflicted look in his eyes.
"I'll help them. You get to the altar and stop the sacrifice." The moon was slowly covering the sun and about a quarter of the sun had been had been hidden by the shadows. Ciel couldn't be sure when they would begin the ritual but it was most likely when the eclipse was halfway through. They were running out of time. Ciel gave a nod and continued up the steps. Hong Yang saw George running to his aid and shouted at his niece.
"Go with Ciel!" Dawn gave a nod as she tossed the man who had attacked her off the edge of the pyramid before running after her brother. They both raced up the steps; one more flight before they would be at the very top of the pyramid. Ciel could hear chanting as if prayers were being recited. The ceremony was underway. He pushed himself a little harder and soon they reached the top.
They could see what appeared to be the chief priest muttering prayers to the disappearing sun, an obsidian blade that he held with both hands, high above his head. There was someone chained to the altar; silvery white and struggling.
"Yue!" Dawn instantly recognized the man chained to the altar, incorporeal though he may be. She tried to rush towards him but was stopped by the many warriors surrounding the priest.
"Move!" she commanded, sending one man flying with a swift punch while kicking another one who had tried to ambush her from the back. Ciel was also dodging while he chanted a spell, gratified that he could feel the flow of mana. He released the spell with a bang and flash of light, sending several warriors out of his way. The scream of one man who was sent over the edge lingered in the air before it was halted abruptly. This vicious move frightened the superstitious warriors and they stood where they were, unwilling to approach the silver-haired sorcerer who could curse them to their deaths where they stood.
Now the priest finally broke out of his religious chants and stared at the two intruders with red, glaring eyes. He screamed instructions at the warriors around him but neither Ciel nor Dawn understood him. But whatever he said seemed to have roused the warriors from their daze and moved forward again, brandishing their spears and macuahuitl clubs at them. Ciel waved his hand and launched another spell at the approaching enemies. Some were thrown back but they seemed to have been better prepared for his attack now as they used tiny round shields to protect themselves from the blast.
Ciel frowned when he realized that his attack was no longer as effective. He did not want to rely too much on his more powerful spells but with the two of them being outnumbered like this, it was best if he could reduce as many of the enemies as possible. But he only knew mostly wind and light type spells; they were useless as long as these warriors had those shields. He then thought of a spell he could use.
"Buy me some time." He told Dawn before he immediately began chanting. Dawn did not ask and did as he asked, grabbing the spear aimed at her with her bare hands. With a quick and powerful tug, she wrest the weapon from the hands of its owner, twirling the staff like an extension of herself. The warriors surrounding the siblings were soon knocked down and one or two were also stabbed ruthlessly when they approached Ciel from the back.
There was a rumble as dark storm clouds suddenly covered the sky. Dawn's eyes widened and she jumped out of the way. All around them there were screams as lightning struck multiple warriors and they fell where they were. The air was full of the acrid smell of char and burnt flesh along with the metallic tang of discharged electricity. Dawn picked herself up and looked at her brother with newfound respect. It was unknown when he had learnt 'Bolt from the Blue' but she was sure Dominic had not taught his most powerful spell to Ciel. To be able to 'steal' a person's secret move was a mark of a hardworking genius.
Ciel opened his eyes but gave a small gasp and staggered as he clutched his head. The spell had used more of his mana that he had anticipated but he was satisfied with the results. More than half the warriors had been struck down and the rest had fled in terror of the punishment from the thunder god. Even the priest had fallen to the ground, unable to get up as he stared in horror of this strange and beautiful man. His white hair that denoted ageless wisdom on a youthful face, the protection from the thunder god himself; if he was not a messenger from the heavens that had frowned upon this sacrifice, then who was he?
Dawn had already reached the altar and using the the obsidian blade that the priest had dropped, broke the bindings that tied Yue in place. He got up and when he saw Dawn standing before him, he could not help but smile at the figure that he had missed for nearly a century.
"You're back." Yue reached out to hold his light in his arms but paused when his arms went through her. He looked at her ruefully. In response, she smiled soothingly.
"You can hold me all you want after you get back into your body."
Ciel watched with relief the interaction between Yue and his sister. If Yue's soul had been sacrificed, there was no way of bringing him back. It was the opposite of what had happened with his sister. He continued to massage his temple, the feeling of being drained not easing in the slightest. He needed to rest or at least use some mana potions. He wondered how Dominic had managed to use such a powerful spell and still be able to carry on with the battles.
"Dom only ever used it as a finisher. And never against so many enemies at once." Ciel was startled out of his reverie and turned to see George looking very solemnly at him.
"You can read minds now?" Ciel asked grumpily.
"I can read you and that's enough." George had already gathered Ciel into his arms and was doing a cursory check to see if he was all right.
"I'm fine..." Ciel was still a little embarrassed that he was so transparent to George. He reached out to stop George when he felt his face being held before being forced to look up at the man in front of him.
"Your attack not only hit the warriors on this floor, it also struck some of those on the level I was on. If I count the number of bodies alone, that's nearly a hundred people. Not including those that managed to escape, you released at least two hundred strikes. If you can still be fine after that, then you really are a god."
"Stop exaggerating..." Ciel was dazed to realize the actual amount of power he had unleashed. No wonder he was so tired. But that did not mean that George should exaggerate to that extent.
"Look over there." George indicated with his chin. Ciel turned and gaped as before him, scores of warriors, led by the chief priest were kneeling and paying obeisance to him. Their hands outstretched in front of them, their heads never leaving the ground. Ciel could not understand what the priest was saying but the reverence in his voice and posture obvious. Ciel was so embarrassed he could die. He quickly buried his face in George's bosom and pretended not to see the group of people that had been converted from shadow worshippers to those that worshipped him.
"My head hurts..."
"For the love of the Great Sun God, can you lovers give this single man a chance?! And in case you've forgotten, we need to get Yue back into his body now!"
Ciel raised his head just in time to see his uncle stomping down the pyramid steps as he muttered incoherently about abuse against dogs. Sharing a look with George, they hurried after Hong Yang who was still exceedingly grumpy about the excessive PDA that he had inadvertently stumbled upon when he followed after George to aid his nephew and niece.
He was never, ever going to visit his sister and her husband. If Dawn and Ciel were any indication, Scarlet and Gin were bound to be a hundred times worse. It was enough to make a grown man cry.
