Stairway... to Hell!

"What the heck..." Fred said, pulling the furniture away from the walls. "Where could she have gone?"

"Fred, I think we should get out of here." Skye said.

"What?" Fred looked up and saw a hole in the floor next to the grandfather clock. Unlike ordinary holes, however, which more or less remained motionless and stationary, this hole swirled and churned just like the cloud of dark energy that had enveloped Tarsa that night.

"Great!" Fred said, walking to the hole in space/time and trying to peer into the inscrutable darkness. "But, do they really think I'm stupid enough to go in there?"

From deep within the abyss Fred suddenly heard Tarsa scream, like a sharp light piercing the darkness to drive itself into Fred's skull. It was impossible to gauge the extent of horror, loathing and defiance present in that scream. At the same time Fred heard something within the pit laugh in an inhuman cacophony that rose to momentarily drown out all other sounds. The hairs on Fred's back stood up and his teeth chattered involuntarily.

"Be careful, Fred!" Skye warned as he flapped around above the darkness. "This is a passageway into Valmar's realm! No one would think any less of you if you did not venture in after her!"

"It's..." Fred grinned. "It's a matter of honor, Skye! I can't explain it right now. You stay here. I'll be back with Tarsa before you know it!"

Before Skye could protest again, Fred held his breath, closed his eyes, pinched his nose and jumped into the swirling portal, which immediately consumed him.

"Darn that fool-headed blundering human!" Skye sputtered.

1. Circling the portal once, he swooped down and plunged in after Fred.

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