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Something was making its way across the rocky path, almost as if the sun was playing games and making the shadows dance for it. But there was no sun here: never had and never will.The Keepers’ contraption glided across the scene, its cloak making it seem humanoid in appearance, but that was only on the outside. It seemed completely determined to follow its given task, as if oblivious to the outside world, almost absent minded.
If only it had a mind.
Marius followed it closely across the rocky spikes that protruded from the ground, making sure he wouldn’t be seen. He knew how touchy the contraptions were to interruptions, and how violently they lashed out with little provocation. He waited pressed hard against the rock, praying he would be out of sight; holding his breath.
Or at least hoping he would soon be able to, once again.
The shrouded figure stopped moving, fully knowing it had reached its destination. Marius could barely see it among the darkness and stone formations, but it seemed to be bracing for something.
There was a loud, metallic howl coming from the contraption; it resonated across a deep borehole, of which Marius could only see a small glimpse. It was maybe ten or twenty meters in diameter and surrounded by finely worked stone, and its depth could not be gauged among the darkness below.
The darkness answered with a growl strong enough to shake the ground. Marius inched closer to observe the shrouded contraption: he knew he would only have one chance, one perfect moment, to reach it before it was too late. He wasn't willing to fail, not again, not for so long.
The incantations began!
The cloak began expanding outwards from the figure, as if growing in size. Metal on metal grinding, chanting in long forgotten tongues, the contraption began its mission. Marius’ moment was soon coming, and he readied a device in his hand. Soon he will sprint with abandon into the middle of this spectacle and then it will be over. One way or another.
Then the first name was chanted, though it seemed more like it was growled. The darkness’ answer was greater than before and this time... there was a glimpse of light, but that quickly faded.
When the device was readying itself to chant the next name, Marius hurled himself at it: he knew where, among all the grinds and tubes, were the Gear-Runes marked for naming. He also knew that it was foolish charging head first into anything made by the Keepers.
He climbed the monstrosity, searching for the appropriate place. He knew he only had a few seconds before...
A metallic whip dropped him face-first into the ground and punished him with a single slash. Marius knew this was the first and only warning he was going to get. The pain shot from all over his body, making him barely able to stand up. He didn’t want to, not against this thing.
Yet he wanted to, he had to.
He raised his head and a small glimmer of hope reached him when he saw the chanting runes out in the open. He only had to stand up and reach, just reach...
What little will was left in him raised his body, and with his arm outstretched with a Gear-rune in his hand he raced with abandon. He could feel it, the Gear-rune was calling out to the others. He only had to set it in place, to throw it to...
And then he felt cruel whip again.
This was no warning: the machine lashed out against him with many continuous blows. The ground around him moved and trembled by the force of them, and his body could barely hold itself together. Marius could do nothing about it, his body had already given in. And yet... the Gear-rune had slipped out of his hand by the force of the first blow. In the midst of the savagery of the machine against him, he found himself looking towards it to know if it had been worthwhile.
And it was. The Gear-rune took inside the contraption, as he had hoped for. His name would be chanted!
After the contraption was done with the punishment, it saw fit to end it all. One of the whips took Marius by the leg and hurled him into the darkness below.
As he was falling into the infinite depth, he hoped his name would come up next, or else all was for naught.
The chanting continued above, and a small, brief light, shone for an instant.
