Therelon's attention was drawn out from his mind as the door to their chamber opened.  [i]It is too early for the changing of the guard.[/i]. Yet, it was guard who emerged from the great doors of the Chamber of the Gods.  One of whom had clearly never been there before.  It was a show Therelon had seen played out, and one it did not care to see again.

But then the "guard's" gaze fell upon it.  The guard's gaze grazed Therelon's, and it knew.  [i]After all this time, I had not dared to hope.[/i]

The man ran for the circle they formed.  By the time he crashed into the pool of blood, the guard's around I Nd the room had begun to stir into action.  [i]Hurry child.  Be swift and set us free.[/i]

Had it its freedom an instant sooner, the room would have echoed with a raven's cackle when it's Devoted's crimson blood broke the surface of the pool.  Had it its freedom an instant sooner, it would have taken its Devoted into its arms and flown out of this wretched hole.  Had it its freedom an instant sooner...

But it hadn't.  And now it Devoted, faithful after a thousand years of silence from their master lay dead.  Therelon's eyes widened in rage, it's first movement in a millennia.

And then the Pit collapsed.

Not the physical place, but the enchantment.  The desecration of the pool had disrupted the magic that had held the Children if Aton in their prisons.  It was an enchantment powerful enough to last through centuries, but it was fragile.  This simple act was enough to rend holes in the most massive, most complex spell Therelon's had ever made.

In spite of its Devoted's death, it was pleasing to Therelon.

But it did not have much time to be pleased.  The enchantment of the Pit was collapsing.  And it the center of the spell was its creator, Therelon.  It was disorienting, to be hit with that much magic at once, but Therelon weathered it.  By the time it's sense were returned to it, it found Kilgarrah kneeling by its Devoted, closing its eyes.  Therelon, too, was soon at the metal's side.  It's gaze slowly drinking in the body.

"Thank you, Brother."  Therelon's voice was low, just barely above a whisper.  It took the Fallen Devoted's had in one of its taloned hands.  "They would be here for this.  The Pit alone kept us, and would have continued to keep us.  Their purpose can only be to keep other mortals out."