Episode 8 ~ Seconds to Sunrise

His breaths came softly, her teapot aglow as Sumit lay unconscious inside. She didn’t know why he had passed out, but she could still hear the steady rhythm of her own heartbeat, ticking like a metronome in the silence. The brief glimpse of the library walls had vanished, and he was no longer there. Yet, somehow, she still felt his presence lingering.

Calliope wondered if he had a name other than just "Puppeteer."

She pinched her wrist sharply. "Snap out of it, Callie!" she scolded herself.

Slowly, she progressed down the dimly lit halls, her steps cautious. Holding the teapot out like a lantern, her eyes strained to adjust to the murky surroundings. When she encountered the faint outline of a shadow, panic took over. She turned and bolted toward the other door, but the echo of footsteps followed her, reverberating eerily through the dungeon's stone corridors.

Mt. Diablo.

She sighed, the oppressive weight of the place pressing on her. She needed to get out—both her and Sumit. This place was ominous, alive in its malice.

Wandering carefully, Calliope suddenly collided with the same man from earlier. This time, he didn’t disappear.

He stopped, and she let her gaze roam over him cautiously. He wore a red jacket, his dark, disheveled hair framing a face marked with tension. In one hand, he clutched a book tightly. His tanned skin glowed faintly in the dim light, and his eyes—a striking, unnatural shade of blue—bore into hers.

Fear—or was it confusion?—radiated from him, his unease as palpable as her own. He looked like he didn’t know how he had ended up here either.

"Hi. I’m Calliope," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Listen, I don’t know how we—or you—got here, but I have other friends somewhere in this place. Maybe we should stick together?"

"K-Kuresh. And... okay," he replied, nodding in agreement.

The sound of ominous footsteps echoed behind them, growing louder and more menacing with every beat. Without hesitation, they slipped into a nearby hallway. Kuresh shoved the door closed and barred it just as something heavy slammed against the other side.

They exchanged a tense glance before continuing down the halls together.

As they moved, Calliope felt the subtle but undeniable tug of the Puppeteer’s influence, like an invisible thread guiding her steps. She followed the faint, unspoken hints, trusting that they would lead her and Kuresh to safety—or answers.

Their steps echoed on the stone tiles as they hurried through the dark corridor. Suddenly, a portal of swirling mist materialized at the end of the hall. Before Calliope could react, a goatman—Arlo—emerged, nearly knocking her over.

"Calliope!" he exclaimed in his lightly accented drawl. "Who’s yer friend over there?"

"That’s Kuresh," she replied, glancing back at the man, who now looked ready to bolt. "He’s... sort of lost down here."

Kuresh’s eyes widened at the sight of the satyr, his expression a mixture of disbelief and fear. Calliope could see the tension in his stance, his body coiled like a spring. She didn’t have time to explain the intricacies of magic or that the creatures from childhood stories were, in fact, real. Her own clockwork heart ticked furiously as she took a calming breath.

"Listen, Kuresh," she said, trying to steady her voice, "if you want to get out of here, you’re going to have to trust me."

She didn’t fully understand her new life yet, but staying in this cursed dungeon wasn’t an option.

Arlo sensing Kuresh’s unease, attempted to offer reassurance. "Don’t worry, lad. We’re here to help."

With little choice, they leapt into the misty portal. The world spun, and on the other side, they were greeted by familiar faces. Arnos stood with his steel defender, a mechanical construct gleaming in the dim light. Elizabeth was nearby, her sharp gaze scanning the space for threats. Gideon was absent but likely somewhere close.

As they moved deeper into the hall, Calliope felt the Puppeteer’s invisible string tugging her forward. It led them into a vast room dominated by a towering golem in the center. Its stone form loomed ominously, veins of glowing blue energy pulsing through its body.

Arnos and his steel defender inspected the area cautiously, their movements deliberate. Calliope's breath hitched as she prepared for whatever might come next. The room was filled with gleaming gold and sealed chests, the air thick with tension.

After a few moments, Arnos scratched at his flaming beard and glanced at the group. "Well, what d'ye reckon?" he muttered, his dwarvish accent thick.

Calliope hesitated before carefully lifting the heavy velvet-blue skirt of her gown. The faint rustle of fabric made everyone pause. Slowly, she revealed her thigh-high boot and unzipped it, producing a long, gilded golden rod hidden inside. With a sigh, she dropped her skirt back into place, the motion breaking the spell of silence.

Arnos raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering briefly on the rod before meeting her eyes.

"Arnos, can you tell me what this is?" Calliope asked, her voice low as she held the artifact out for him to see.

The dwarf frowned, leaning closer. "Hmm... That’s more Sumit’s specialty, lass," he said after a moment, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

Calliope moved to tuck the rod away, but the Puppeteer’s subtle tug stopped her. The unseen force urged her to keep it in hand. Reluctantly, she obeyed, though Arnos was already moving on. He began studying the room again, his eyes narrowing as he took in the gold, the chests, and the massive golem at the room’s center.

"If we touch anything in here, it’ll activate," Arnos warned, his tone grim.

"Yer sayin' if we touch anything, it’ll spring to life? What if we salvage that thing for parts? I could eat some of its metal washers," Arlo said with a hungry gleam in his eyes, licking his lips.

Arnos shot him a glare before stepping closer to the golem. Calliope, Kuresh, and Elizabeth instinctively backed away, tense and ready for anything.

To prove his point, Arnos extended a hand and placed it on the golem’s cold stone surface.

The reaction was instant. Blue veins of energy pulsed to life across the golem’s body, and its massive frame groaned as it began to move. The room vibrated with the sound of stone grinding against stone, and its glowing eyes locked onto the group.

Calliope’s heart raced. "Arnos!" she hissed.

The dwarf’s only response was a wry grin, his hand still on the now-animated giant.

The battle was brutal. Calliope focused her energy, channeling magic as best she could. Her spells provided some aid, but the fight was relentless. Arlo bore the brunt of the golem's attacks, his strikes powerful yet unable to stop the relentless onslaught. Blow after blow rained down on him, leaving him battered and bloodied.

Seeing him falter, Calliope acted quickly. Summoning her magic, she teleported Arlo to Elizabeth’s side. "Heal him up as much as you can," she urged, her voice strained. Elizabeth nodded and immediately began her work, her hands glowing with soft, restorative light. Within moments, Arlo was patched up enough to jump back into the fray.

Suddenly, Gideon reappeared, emerging from the shadows like a force of nature. She charged at the golem and grappled it, his sheer strength holding the massive creature in place. The maneuver gave the others the opening they desperately needed.

With coordinated efforts, the group slowly began to wear the golem down. Arno's steel defender launched precise strikes, Calliope’s magic weakened its defenses, and Kuresh, despite his initial hesitation, found his footing and joined the assault.

Just as victory seemed within reach, a low hum filled the air, growing louder. The golem’s movements became erratic, its glowing veins pulsating faster.

Then they heard it—a countdown.

“Five… four…”

The eerie mechanical voice sent chills down their spines.

“It’s going to self-destruct!” Calliope shouted, her voice sharp with urgency.

The group scrambled into the next room just as the heavy stone door sealed shut behind them. A muffled boom reverberated through the walls, shaking the ground beneath their feet. Dust and debris trickled from the ceiling, but the door held firm.

For a moment, no one spoke, their labored breaths filling the silence. Slowly, they gathered themselves, exchanging weary glances before pressing onward. The hallways twisted and turned, but eventually, they found the exit.

The sunlight was blinding as they emerged from the depths of Mt. Diablo, the fresh air a stark contrast to the stifling, ominous atmosphere they’d left behind. Calliope took a shaky breath, her adrenaline ebbing away to leave her nerves raw. Her feelings surged—relief, exhaustion, and the remnants of fear crashing over her all at once.

The group stood outside, next to the familiar sight of the Arby’s sign that marked their strange point of origin. The sight felt surreal, almost absurd after everything they had just endured.

Sumit was there, standing behind her with a faint smile. Awake, alive, and looking remarkably well, he radiated a quiet reassurance.

Calliope glanced down at her hands, where she now held an ornate teapot—her prize from the harrowing ordeal. It was extravagantly detailed, covered in intricate carvings that hinted at an otherworldly origin. For all its beauty, it felt strangely heavy, as though it carried more than just tea.

She inhaled deeply, the clean air filling her lungs and calming her racing heart. For now, at least, they were safe.

"I'm glad to be out of there," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she tilted her face toward the sun.

Next Episode 9 ~ Hollow Clockwork

Calliope's Wand by Sorianna Choate