“Jinnaari,” Thia said as he wiped his sword on the body of the demon. “We have a problem.”

Moving toward where she stood, he asked, “What is it this time?”

“That,” she said. Her arm pointed down into the fissure.

Glancing down, he sighed. Descending down the rocky face, Moon was heading toward a large metal sphere. Stalagmites jutted from the wall, suspending it over the river of magma. “Bahamut give me strength,” he muttered.

Spreading his wings, he descended toward the Tabaxi. “Moon,” he called out, “that’s not a good idea.”

“It’s shiny!” she called back to him. “Did you see all those levers and knobs? I want to know what they do!” She moved closer.

Bahamut, why did you have me pair up with some of these people? It wasn’t the first time he’d had the thought. And his God never answered the question. “Moon, I’m serious. I know what that machine does. I’ve been in one before. If you’re not careful, it can hurt you. Or someone else. You don’t want that, do you?”

“But what if my soul’s in there?” She stopped moving and looked at him, her ears twitching.

“Why don’t you go back up top?” Jinnaari kept his voice calm. “I can see if it’s in there. I know what lever to move to open it.”

Her face twisted into a pout, “But what if there’s more than just my soul? How will you know which one is mine?” She started to climb down again. “I should check. I know what I’m looking for. I think.”

“I’ll bring them all up. I promise.”

Her head swiveled upward quickly. “Lights!” she cried out, delighted, and started to climb back up the rock face.

Jinnaari looked up. Caelynn had cast a spell, making lights dance around the area where the rest were at. Good. That’d keep both Tabaxi busy for a few minutes.

He turned his attention back to the mechanical sphere below him. He spotted movement in the lava. Landing on one of the stalagmites, he pushed the lever to open the machine. If things were coming, he wanted to be ready.