Jenny opened her eyes. Her head swirled as her blurry vision clouded her sight.

The last thing she remembered was meeting Bladen inside the cavern tunnel. She tried to help her friends, but something smacked behind her head. She was not sure if a rock was responsible for her injury.

“You are finally awake,” said a familiar voice.

Jenny blinked her eyes. The reddish-orange blur faded, allowing Jenny to notice the domed bronze chamber. It has one doorway and four lit torches around her.

Standing in front of her was Eera, wearing a red robe with a hood over her head. She smiled. “You've been unconscious for seven days. I imagine it felt like only yesterday when Bladen knocked your skull. Hehehe.”

Jenny tried to stand up until she noticed chains bonded her arms to the floor. She sat up on her knees and glared at the goat woman. "Why am I chained here? What's going on?"

"What's going on?" Eera giggled. "You are my prisoner, human. I sent Bladen to collect you and the stones after your success. With your friends gone, nobody can save you."

Jenny gritted her teeth. "You think this cell will keep me here forever?"

"Oh don't push your luck. I know you possess the power of a Star Crystal in your blood. That collar around your neck will keep you mortal until it is removed."

Jenny rubbed her chin against the thick cold metal collar. Her head could barely move. "Why me? You got the stones!"

Eera stepped toward her. "The time stone isn't strong enough to open my destination. It needs a strong power source to accomplish its task." She kneeled toward Jenny and rubbed her claw across Jenny’s chin. "Your power is the perfect source. The stone will take it all, even if it kills you."

Jenny widened her eyes. "So you sent my friends and me to die for your freaking stones without paying us?"

"I knew your friends wouldn't give you up. They will only stand in my way of accomplishing what I desire. I didn't improve Bladen risking your life to kill them, but he was lucky I didn't behead him."

Jenny shook the chains. She wanted to break free and snap the goat woman’s head off, but somehow she felt powerless. "But why is going back in time so important to you? More important than me and my friends' lives!?"

"You truly want to know before you die?" Eera stepped back as she untied her robe. After she let the robes slide to the floor from her slim body, two large bat-like wings spread out on her back. The horns on her head rose taller than they looked before. She wore a red bikini loincloth and golden rings on her arms and legs. The pupils in her eyes glimmered red like ruby stones.

Jenny swallowed. “What are you?”

Eera flapped her wings a little, sending a slight breeze past Jenny’s face. “My kind are not born in this world. We came from a realm of fire, where we torture and feast on living souls.”

“You mean… You are the Devil?”

Eera folded her wings. "We were called many things, but we called ourselves Daimons."

"Like… Demons?"

Eera laughed. “One of those names. A hundred years ago, my kind opened a portal into your world to conquer it. But an army of Beastmen sorcerers stopped our conquest. I was the only one left in this world after I escaped with my life. I spent years hiding like prey, vowing vengeance against the Beastman race. However, I built my own Beastman tribe, who worshipped my true form.” She held out her hands. “This entire place is our secret Daimon worshipping temple. My cult kept me safe and served me with blood sacrifices. Any outsider who sees our city is killed or sarcificed.”

Jenny scowled. “That’s why you planned to kill us?”

Eera smiled. “All of them, except you.” She held the time stone toward Jenny. She already placed the two stones together. Both halves fitted perfectly together with the runic symbols connected correctly. “I will transfer your power into this stone to open the time portal back to my invasion. Then I will warn myself to change my army’s tactics to prevent their demise. This time, we will win and your world shall burn!”

“You won’t get away with this!” Jenny shouted. “Someone will stop you!”

“Like who?” Eera gazed into Jenny’s eyes. “You and your friends?” She stepped back and laughed. “No one is going to save you or stop me from changing the future. My plans are perfect, and nobody will disrupt them.”

Jenny glanced at the floor. “Even if I die, no plan is perfect.”

Eera giggled. “I will leave you here until the ritual begins. Your new thoughts will be your last here. Hahahahaha!”

The demon goat woman left the chamber and closed the door. Jenny squeaked her eyes shut as tears dripped down her cheeks.

If her friends were truly dead, then the entire world might be doomed. She could only pray they survived the mountain cave-in.

Author:

"Since the next chapters will be the last ones, I might take my time on them this week. They should be ready by Friday or next week. Enjoy!"