A couple days have passed since we talked to that Davy guy. He gave me the chills…
I don’t know, there was just something off about him, Alisson was pretty shaken up too. But, we haven’t heard a whiff of Lily since she left the inn a few days back; no letters, no visits, nothing. So, we came to pop a peek into her shop and…
It’s completely empty. There’s not a trace of Lily anywhere, the lights and candles we’re still lit so it’s not like she purposely left. It’s odd.
“Nope. Nothing in the back room either.”
Alisson said, shaking his head, while striding over to me.
“I wonder what happened to her, we’ll just have to check-!?”
Alisson shuts up and tackles me to the floor of the shop. A few bolts and streams of colored light fly above us, crashing into the walls of the shop with high pitched explosions.
“Come out with your hands up and your weapons down! We will not hesitate to blow that building to hell, you damned devils!”
We’ve been found out! Shit! What do we do? Do we give in to their demands or…?
Alisson pulled me up and silently drew his rapier. He peeked around the side of shelf for an instant. He then looked at me, shaking his head.
“Two dozen knights. Inquisitor insignias. There’s the two hero and summoner pairs from before.”
Alisson, says, quickly and in monotone. I draw my stilettos.
“We’re going to have to retreat through them. I’ll take the center and the right, you the left, on my mark we charge. We’ll run after we weaken them.”
He says quickly and in monotone again.
W-wait hold on a minute! Does he really expect me to hold my own against multiple opponents!? L-let alone knights!?
Before I could object, he looked around the shelf, and held out his hand to me, quickly dropping his fingers in a countdown.
3…
D-damit! I’ll just have to try!
2…
So, this is how Alisson treats a serious situation…we might die and yet…
1…
-!
“Mark.”
Alisson and I leap over the shelf we were using for cover and jump through the shops already broken windows. Low and behold, in front of us are a dense semi-circle of soldiers packed into the street. They had what looked like normal plate armor, but their palindromes we’re bright red and had yellow insignias of some sort of bird.
…man. I was really able to realize all that before I even hit the ground? Guess I’m a lot faster than I thought.
Me and Alisson land from our little jump, in front of us are those two heroes Alisson fought and won against earlier. The one with the huge sword and massive armor takes a swing at Alisson. Alisson easily deflects it…right into the side of the shop. Both of their weapons are stuck in the side of the shops front wall. The guy hero looks at Alisson dumbly for a second, not doing a thing. Alisson, after a moment of staring as well, let go of his rapier and socked the hero right in the jaw with left hook. The hero stumbled and bumped into the other hero, the girl one. Alisson, without taking another moment, rushes for the right of the knight’s formation.
This is bad. We’re outnumbered and we’re gonna be separated.
Damit!
I make up my resolve, shaking my head.
I rush toward the left of the formation.
Okay. Think. How would I disrupt a formation of heavily armed knights? My weapons are small, they won’t be causing a metaphorical or literal dent in those knights. Magic. The only offensive spell I know is Pict; it’s just a single, kinetic bolt…
…but I have more mana than Alisson, I’m regarded as one of the top 1000 Nekomata for mana capacity in Sidonia despite my age. So although I only have one weak spell…I’ll spam the crap out of it.
I raise both my hands. Imbuing each of my fingers with two Pict spells. Pretty ambitious for me, but I can’t launch a Saturation Attack (1) if I wimp out on the numbers, each one is pretty weak.
After concentrating on the development of the spell’s inscripts, I yell the incantation louder than I ever have before.
“Pict!”
Twenty yellow bolts blast from my hands at an explosive speed, their trajectories varied. They slam into the eight odd knights on the left. The spells, as I expected, don't pierce worth a damn into the knights’ armor or large kite shields. However, their formation is pretty ruffled, and they're really unbalanced. Now's my opening!
I thrust forward with all my might, squarely into the closest knight's chest.
W-what the hell!? Not even a dent!? W-wait. Calm down. How does Alisson manage to pierce at all? How'd did I manage to pierce a Hero's armor with a weaker thrust than that?
The answer is: placement.
I hit this knight dead-on in the chest, of course his armor is going to be the strongest there. When I pierced that Hero's armor when I fought him, I hit him in his elbow; A joint, where steel needs to be segmented and thinner to allow an array of movement.
Alisson, now that I think about it, really is a pro huh? He only goes for the neck, the weakest point on a fully geared opponent.
...Then I'll stab the crap out of their necks! Not only are necks more vulnerable, but more vital!
...I'm not a psychopath.
The world resumes, adrenaline is really great! Now I've got a plan.
The knight swings at me, a little startled. I bob under his blade and knee his gut. Ow. Hitting steel with my knee really hurts.
My cheap knee-shot to his gut does it's job, the knight contorts inward from the wind being blown out of him. His neck is now neatly right next to my face. I stab upwards, impaling the knight's jaw through zero protection.
One down!
...seven more to go...
Speaking of which, where are the-!
I just barely stumble out of the way of a longsword whizzing by my head. Before I'm able to even turn, another blade comes flying at me from one standing right in front of me. I narrowly stumble out of it's path.
Crap! Distance! I need distance or they're going to encircle me!
I barge under another blade and get a few meters between me and the knights. Okay, I'll just rinse and repeat then.
I raise my hand and fire off ten Pict spells at the already scrambled formation. I jump in and cheekily stab one through the neck. I fire off two more spells point blank at one and stab him clean through the elbow with one stiletto, then through the neck with the other. I back off a bit, satisfied with picking off two.
Five left. I glance over to Alisson to make sure I'm not getting tunnel vision on the battle.
...he's fighting off eight knights, and those hero summoner pairs...
He's already killed eight knights as opposed to my three. So the total number of knights have fallen from 24 to 13.
...We might actually win. If Alisson pulls through on his end, all I have to do is make sure to hold down these guys for him.
A downward thrust interrupts my thinking. Startled, I manage to sidestep and stumble back. These guys really don't slack off. The knight who'd swung at me raises his kite shield and prepares a thrust at me. I tense up and raise my stilettos in anticipation, hoping to parry him. The knight initiates his thrust. Halfway however...his sword shifts into another lane.
Crap! A disengage-!
A hot tear opens on my right shoulder, his sword ripping through my cloak and armor.
I'm not gonna let you get away with that-!
Pushing away his sword with one stiletto, I stab him cleanly through the neck with the other.
As the knights drops in front of me, the only thing I can think about is my wound. My body flares up in heat, and my veins pulse with my heartbeat.
S-so this is how it feels to be stabbed huh? It's not even a direct wound, his blade glanced off, but it still hurts like hell.
I come back to reality and see one knight in front of me.
One? There should be four left. I glance around. I'm surrounded. They're closing in. Ok, stay cool, all I need to do is punch my way out.
I pick a side and lift my hand, preparing a barrage of Pict spells.
Just as I'm about to launch the spells however...
"Eiar."
A tiny orange flash, slams into my shoulder. I stumble, clutching my shoulder with my other hand.
D-damit! T-this is a completely different mode of pain, my entire arm is numb; in my shoulder is a sharp, screeching pain. My ears pulse hotly.
Whatever that was didn't pierce my armor...but I think my right shoulder is dislocated...
"That's enough play, you initiates have embarrassed yourselves enough. Handle this little demon. Prove your worth and capture her if you'd like."
A woman's voice, in fluent Andestinian, emanates from a figure clad solely in red. She has a large red and thin hat, a red scarf concealed her face completely. Next to her is another person clad in the same red get-up.
T-those are...real inquisitors. The knights close in, now only feet away from me on all sides.
I-I...I need to escape! I lift my foot and kick at one of the knight’s knees, hoping to knock him down and make a run for it. But the knight just stands there and takes it without even budging. My foot hurts.
The knight I kicked swings back in retaliation. I lift my left hand, just barely blocking it with one stiletto. I can't move my right arm, it’s definitely dislocated.
As I gradually get overpowered in the blade clash in front of me, a slice tears through my back; another knight behind me had swung.
"Guah!?"
I fall to my knees. The cut on my back is huge; The only thought that fills my mind, are that of my wounds. My eyes feel strangely heavy, and I'm weirdly tired...
...
Another knight fell before Alisson. Ten Inquisitor initiates surround him, not including the hero summoner pairs. Breathing heavily, his mouth agape and gasping for air, Alisson glanced over to Celis.
Shit. She's in trouble.
What he saw was a circle of knights as well as two figures solely in red, real Inquisitors, obscuring Celis from view.
She did well to hold off so long but...with these Inquisitors here, we'll have to run.
Alisson broke into a run toward the encircled Celis. He jumped and swung his hand in a chopping motion horizontally.
“Fult!”
A slash of visible air materialized and disappeared, cutting the back of one of the knights’ necks. He fell like a rag doll, exposing Alisson to his apprentice. A wave of delight at seeing his apprentice passed over Alisson, however, after recognizing her status, his heart dropped. She was covered in wounds and she was clutching her right shoulder. Then, without warning, Celis, started to fall. Alisson ran forward and scooped his apprentice up by the knees and shoulders. He leapt forward over a knight and dashed down the road.
“Celis cast a healing spell on yourself!”
But when he looked down at Celis, in his arms, her eyes were closed, and her body, limp.
“Eiardun!”
Two voices called out behind him, Alisson tilted his head back and lifted a hand whilst running.
“Obice!”
The barrier spell just barely blocked the two spears of orange. Behind him, all thirteen of the remaining knights were chasing him.
I didn’t think I’d have to use any of my knives on this matter but…
Alisson jumped again, but this time, he withdrew two skeletal throwing knives and threw them at the mass of enemies.
…
Haha! That’s right run you son of a bitch!
The kid I’m chasing down along with Epsilon and the other knights, jumps and throws two projectiles at us. What, does he think two throwing knives are gonna-
The knives detonate outward into a white gas toward us. Huh? Smoke? But then, I see streams of burning fire-like bits fly off from the smoke field. Wait, don’t tell me…
I stop as fast as I can, but the knights in front of me who’re engulfed by the gas, start screaming. Their armor is visibly peeling and turning red. The heat from the gas reaches me, and I finally realize why this shit looks so familiar.
“This is White Phosphorus! Get back!”
I swing my hand over to Epsilon and pull her toward me just in time for her not to run face first into White fucking Phosphorus. Nine of the remaining knights are now collapsed in the gas field, their armor melted away and their exposed skin bubbling. Their screams, echo through Foksly.
The ground pursuit was halted in a instant, just with two measly things. Why the hell is there White Phosphorus in this world; it’s not exactly a medieval technology!
“Clarke! We’ll follow them through the air!” Behind us a way’s back I hear Arciel’s voice.
Clarke nods and raises his staff. Arciel and Clarke cast their flight spells on themselves and glide into the air, above and past the White Phosphorus. The four remaining knights, and me and Epsilon, are left to stare at the scene in front of us. The corpses are now just burned dark red caricatures of humans. The adjacent houses are being scorched.
“Do you see this, comrades? This is what the Nekomata scum really are.”
One of the two inquisitors St. Yulick lent us says while striding up behind us. I think I’m going to puke.
…
Alisson slowly laid down Celis and knelt next to her. He’d jumped up to a relatively tall building with a flat roof of stone.
“Celis…Celis.”
He gave her a little shake at the shoulders.
She must have passed out due to the pain.
As of now, Celis and Lily were the only Sidonians in the city with healing magic. But Lily was missing, and Celis was unconscious.
I’ll have to bring her to the inn and do the most I can with scientific first aid if she doesn’t wake up. But first….
Alisson grabbed onto Celis's dislocated right shoulder, feeling it around. Satisfied with his knowledge of where the dislocation was, Alisson prepared to push it back into place. But just before he was about to push her shoulder, Celis’s eyes flickered and opened.
Shit. I wanted to do this while she was unconscious but...better to get it over with.
Celis’s gaze wandered from Alisson, down his arms, and then finally, upon seeing what he was about to do, her body jumped in what Alisson could only take as fear. Alisson bit his lip.
“Get ready.”
Alisson pushed down without another word. An audible snap was heard. Celis’s eyes shot open. Her mouth opened, about to let out a cry. Alisson quickly wrapped a hand over Celis’s mouth. If she were to be audible, they’d be found out. Alisson felt the vibration of Celis’s scream into his gauntlet. Small tears welled at her eyes. But gradually, after a minute, her breathing calmed, and her body lost its tension in Alisson’s hands.
“I-I’m sorry. Take it easy now, you still have other cuts, heal yourself.”
Alisson placed one of Celis’s hands on her chest. She shakily nodded. As Alisson lifted his hand, and as a string of saliva formed between his palm and Celis’s mouth; Shame and guilt slammed into him like a train. Unexpectedly, tears welled in Alisson’s eyes.
“I’m…I-I’m s-so…sorry…”
He hugged Celis.
…
H-huh!? He’s crying! And hugging me?! Ah…ah. As if it's not already, my mind becomes a jumble.
Stupid! Stupid! You have bleeding wounds! H-heal them dummy!
I push Alisson out of my mind and robotically initiate healing spells on myself.
A few minutes pass, and Alisson goes silent, still hugging me. He suddenly recoils with an intense red blush, but, he doesn’t say anything. Just as my mana seems to dry, everything on my body but one tear is sealed, though I still might have some internal bleeding…
“There you are!”
Two figures rise from the building’s horizon. It’s the two summoners again.
Alisson turns and draws his rapier in a blur.
“Reysark-“
“Are you stupid!? That spell will destroy the whole building!”
The girl magician’s older companion swings a hand out in front of her. The silver haired girl sighed and raised her staff again. But taking the opportunity, was Alisson; he closed the distance in a literal blink of an eye. The flying pair was already pretty close, so Alisson is already point-blank. He stabbed one and punched the other.
“Pictunee!”
A stream of red pierces one of the now retreating flying summoners. Taking the opportunity again, Alisson wheeled and scooped me up in his hands and jumped from the building. I think I can stand just fine but…I don’t need to tell him that.
…
“We’re abandoning Foksly. That decision comes from Sidonia herself. The 75th will be sending us a detachment to escort us to their base camp.”
Alisson placed a small white envelope sealed with a blue stamp on the table. Around him, the inn keeper, the acting infiltrator director, and a couple other Sidonian informants stood around a table. The moon brilliantly illuminated the roads of Foksly outside.
“Regarding the Foksly Infiltrator Director’s, Lily’s, disappearance, I’ll be searching for her up until our ride out gets here; but for, now, Ivid’s responsible for rounding up the other infiltrators in her stead.”
A black-haired man, older than Alisson, nodded his head.
“For now however, stay down. Don’t try to stick your heads out for information; Those Inquisitors are still out there, don’t get caught before we’re able to pull out. If you are in any way compromised or if the situation takes a dive, the Sidonian re-group point is this inn. Alright, you’re dismissed, pack your bags and say your goodbyes to the humans in this town.”
As the Sidonian accomplices and a few of the Nekomata Infiltrators shuffled out of the inn, they did so staggered and through different exits; hoping not to draw attention. As it was just Alisson and the inn keeper left, Alisson sighed and rose from leaning over the table.
“So we’re really pulling out?”
The inn keeper asked in a mix of concern and curiosity.
“Yes. I don’t know how the other towns are faring, but hopefully much better than us. After we regroup with the 75th Ranger Corp, you’ll be escorted to Sidonian territory, I hope leaving your life behind isn’t a bother.”
The inn keeper had been picked out and become a Sidonian when he made contact with an infiltrator, it’s a testament to even the human Sidonian’s loyalty that their willing to drop everything they lived for just because of Sidonia.
“No no, I thought something like this would happen eventually…but now that it is, I’m getting all nervous about it, even a little bit excited.”
Ahh…to be human and be able to be so open…
“Well, I can assure you that Sidonian territory is quite breathtaking compared to this town, so don’t worry about your excitement.”
Alisson smiled back at the inn keeper’s childish excitement, the line between humans and Sidonian humans was vast; they were the outcasts of human society, the ones who never seemed to find bliss through ignorance; the ones that could take and comprehend the larger picture, and see themselves from the outside perfectly from that picture.
“U-um…So i-is everything okay?”
Tohru asked nervously while peering around a corner. Alisson walked over and patted her head a few times.
“Yep. Don’t you worry.”
“W-what about big sister Celis…?”
“She’s just resting is all. She’ll be fine, she’s tough; like you.”
Celis…she really was tough, even with all those injuries she still was there, holding off…I’m nothing but a coward compared to her, I barely take any hits during a fight…
“O-okay…”
Tohru looked down with contempt.
“Well anyway, I’m going out on patrol, can’t very well just abandon Lily now can we? Keep an eye on Celis for me.”
Alisson gave a wave as he walked out of the inn. The air was pleasantly brisk, the moons light reflected dully on Alisson’s brown cloak.
Now…where to look. Well, I didn’t only leave to look for Lily, I want to get something for Celis too…I did cause her pain and she followed my orders to hold off amazingly…
Alisson thought, blushing to himself.
…
Alisson cheerfully and quietly hummed to himself whilst holding a little pink box. The moon had just passed behind a cloud, turning Foksly into a pitch-black town. He’d made some rounds around the outskirts of Foksly, but he didn’t sense a damn thing. After calling it a night, he’d gone and bought some chocolates for the inn keeper and Tohru, and Celis; as a little thank-you.
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But his quite bliss came to an abrupt end. His heart dropped, and an aura of unease assaulted him.
I just entered into the range of something horrific!
Almost yelping in surprise, Alisson looked around; he noticed only one thing: He’d just passed in front of Blacksen’s Butchery.
And, with that final thought, something slammed into the back of his head, and his mind went black.
…
Man. I really wish I had Tohru next to me right now. Not for any particular reason; in fact, I wish I could shrink her down and take her with me everywhere, so whenever I sleep, I’ll have something to wrap my body around instead of a pillow.
Ahhh. The nerve recovery for magic healing is pretty short, that’s one of it’s benefits; but it’s dragging on for waaaaaaay too long. Alisson left yesterday night on some patrolling, and he didn’t come back. Well, he’s most definitely fine; after all his combat I’ve seen, I’m really curious about people who’re supposed stronger than Alisson. He’s probably still out there, just looking for Lily. I wonder if she’s dead. I mean, I feel like all Alisson is going to accomplish is that we can send her corpse back to the homeland; Nekomata don’t just go off the grid without prior warning.
Oops. That’s a little too dark. I guess I’m not exactly the most optimistic person. I’m quite a pessimist, expect and prepare for the worst! I thought Alisson would’ve been an optimist, I’m mean, he’s a top tier fighter and a commander but…
After spending a short time around him, I can tell he puts on a mask of optimism; but all of his actions are pessimistic.
After spending some time debating whether Alisson would be a formalist or a utilitarianist in my head; the thought of Alisson not coming back yet is really nagging me. I try to push it out of my mind but…I can’t help but get the feeling something is bad. It’s not just me being a pessimist either, my gut is also sending me some weird signals and I’m getting really uncomfortable; even in this comfy bed.
From my bed I look out the window, the sun has just dropped bellow the horizon; leaving the sky a dark orange. I clench my hands into fists.
“D-damnit!”
I blur out of the bedsheets. In a whirlwind of activity, I slip off my pajamas and slip on my gambeson. I shuffle into my chainmail coif, and clip and place my steel plates over it. And finally, I flourish the dull cloak that we were given in stead of our flashy Sidonian-Insignia marked ones. My eyes grow sharp, and I click the neck clip for my cloak.
…
It’s now black out; so, it’s been about a full day since Alisson left the inn. Thinking back on the most sketchy and ominous places around the town, I’d made some runs everywhere from Lily’s shop, to the warehouse where we found Tohru. But, exhausted and my mouth hanging open, I’ve turned up nothing. But now, this is the last place I’ve thought of. Blacksen’s Butchery. It seems…like I was right on the mark…
The building is completely locked down, the windows were barred, the walls seemed to absorb light.
“Tch…”
I’ll have to break in. But…the only way to do so quietly is…the front door. I’ve broken into to plenty of mock houses and compounds during the academy, I know how to pick locks, how to spot creaky floors, and how to sift and meld within darkness; but…from the aura I’m getting from this place, I’m not confident in my apparent top tier abilities or training in the slightest.
I creep over to the front door, my body in a crouch and almost scraping the ground. I fiddle with a small pack on my hip under my cloak, retrieving a few tiny metal pins and rods. I soon as I insert the pins with both of my hands into the large and black lock however…a feeling of imminence besets me. Like a sharp needle through my stomach, I feel as though I’m on a time limit…if I don’t get this lock picked as fast as I can…
I hurriedly glance behind me, but my sight only meets a blued darkness; I can barely see more than a few feet in front of my thanks to the darkness; even out on a clear night like this. Although, thanks to the sky’s clarity, it only makes it all the more darker and smooth. I fumble with the pins, my body already starting to perspire more than it usually does. The lock’s innards tick and click, the silence of the night town making their sounds a thousand-fold louder.
Finally, the lock clicks a final time. My training kicking in, I immediately click the door open and peer through, gathering as much info as I can as quickly as I can. Dark. No motion. No other light sources. The interior seems dead, and unmoving compared to the last time I was here. This place feels as though it’s became a corpse, a shell, a pile of dust that no one should live in.
I slip quietly slip inside and close the door behind me shut. Perhaps it’s due to my adrenaline, or maybe my fear is really amplifying my caution; But I feel as though I’m soundless. I feel like simple bug or insect, intruding, and unnoticeable to an unwary eye.
I hope it stays that way.
Like liquid mercury on velvet, I begin my creep forward towards the stairway, shifting and sliding without friction along the floor. As I reach the flight of stairs, I am met with a choice. Up, or down.
I look up. Nothing. I don’t feel anymore uneasy.
I look down the stairs, into a literal void of black. My unease spikes, the black, is thick. Nothing is floating around within the black of the stairs, it is simply and utterly unmoving. I feel as though I was the one thing in this building, that was moving at that time.
As much as I hate knowingly going and choosing a more dangerous path; Where would Alisson be? On second floor, or a basement? I’d think a basement, they’re definitely more ominous.
But, despite my own fear and opinion, I take the first step down perhaps the longest staircase, I’ve ever descended.
…
Darkness turned to perspective. Perspective turned to light, and Alisson’s eyes fluttered open. In a haze, he couldn’t see much of anything. He only felt, and what he felt, was that he was being suspended. His legs dangled. No floor rested under them. His neck,
His neck was hard.
Something…something is…is…
Alisson’s mind dazed about incoherently to himself, his own awareness, seeming to deceive him.
Where? Where am I?
Despite his blind and blurred vision, he tried to crane his head on bodily instinct, however, he couldn’t move his head in the slightest.
His neck was numb.
This…this is…
Like a flame igniting, Alisson’s mind was fed a false realization.
Sis? Appy? Big sis is playing with me again…isn’t she? I hope…hope…hope she doesn’t…have any…sharp things…for today…
Alisson’s mind seemed to put itself to sleep, feeding on a falsified vision, a deception.
His neck was tense.
With the thought of his neck once more invading his mind, it abruptly stopped him from falling into an inner stupor. The more he thought, the more he attempted to focus, on his neck, the more he felt. Like snow rolling down a snowy hill, his mind, his awareness, his perception, seemed to awaken and clarify within the more he thought.
And soon, he felt his true feelings.
His neck was impaled.
Pain flooded into Alisson upon his enlightenment. This piece of information, which he’d fought for and spent so long trying to a achieve, was not kind.
His eyes slowly unblurred. Clarity came in choppy, and rough colors. But, soon, as a testament to the Nekomata’s sharpness, even under all his conditions,
Alisson regained consciousness.
He grunted groggily and opened his eyes one more, however this time, with the light of intelligence.
Where the hell am I?!
His body shook and quaked.
I’m, hanging something is, something is-!? My neck!
The more he thought, the more pain came to him.
There’s something hanging me up by my neck, the skin of my nape is pierced, something like a hook…
It was pitch black; he couldn’t see at all. It was damp. He breathed in a whiff of air, hoping to clear his head of the effects of waking.
He audibly choked.
W-w-what the hell is this smell!?
Like rotted flesh. Far, far, far, rotted flesh. A whiff of all sorts of bodily fluids was also in the air, but not prevalent as the rot.
Alisson shook his arms, but there seemed to be some sort of cuffs on them, the same with his legs. He was, despite his suspension, unable to move.
Judging by the darkness, the humidity, I think I can assume I’m underground. I’ve been stripped of my cloak, rapier, and throwing knives, I can feel that much too. Now what exactly made me end up in this situation? It must’ve been something horribly fast, I don’t remember a damn other than walking along the street during the night. Uhg…I wonder how long I was out for…These cuffs aren’t coming off anytime soon, but maybe I can wiggle my way of this hook…? No…I don’t think that’d work…
Clang. Clang.
Alisson heard something. They were footsteps, loud and hard, rough and scrupulous. The footsteps were accompanied by the sound of something being dragged along the floor, something heavy, and soft.
What the hell?
Although Alisson blocked it from his mind, fear crept on him; in this dark area, where he couldn’t even see his own nose, someone was coming upon him.
Clang, clang.
The footsteps slowed, and were terrifyingly close to Alisson, if he were to guess, the thing was a few meters away. But in his current situation, unable to move, he was completely at this entity’s discretion.
Click.
A switch had been flipped, and Alisson’s vision turned white; an oill lamp had just been clicked on.
“Ah. So the prince awakens.”
As Alisson’s eyes adjusted to the light, his memory recalled the voice.
That voice, it’s…
His eyes completely focused, and in front of him stood, Davy Blacksen. The man was just as big, if not bigger than when Alisson had last seen him. He was dragging a something, a humanoid.
More pressingly however, was what surrounded Alisson in this small room. The room was, surrounded by yellowed stone, with only one dark entrance with which Davy filled, and one battered open hole to more void. There lay something within this room, that Alisson, despite his two-hundred and fifty-nine years of living through the hell of living, screamed, yes, screamed, in terror.
Seventeen. Seventeen hung up. Seventeen deceased. Seventeen comrades. Seventeen fratello.
They were hung up on meat hooks, such as Alisson was. None were alive, not by the horrors that plagued their bodies. Most were de clothed completely, their injuries, cuts, entrails and detached limbs bare for all to see. Alisson, upon re-centering himself mentally, with horror recognized some of the hung up corpses. The dead infiltrators he and Celis had stumbled upon. There was another, which he hoped he was wrong about, though, judging from the hair and eye color; A woman, who’s eyes were wide open in death, the hair was red, and the eyes were yellow. Just like Tohru. It was her missing older sister.
As Alisson’s shock just barely subsided below the threshold of his ability to comprehend, his mind flicked back to what Davy had been dragging with one hand. Hazel hair, a large scarf, a ripped up overcoat.
That isn’t…
She looked weakly looked up from Davy’s grasp at her neck. One of her eyes were covered by an eyepatch. She opened her one eye and stared directly at Alisson, revealing her eye color. Green. It was Lily.
It occurred to Alisson, that she was wearing the same clothes, albeit extremely torn up, as when Alisson had last saw her, when she’d left the inn.
“A-Alis-shu-…n-!”
She attempted to speak, however all that came out of her mouth was a gurgle of blood, which dripped in thick blobs toward the stoned floor. Alisson stared blankly.
“Oh come now, this isn’t a reunion; I’ve only come to deposit you now that I’ve had my fun with you, come now!”
It was a strange sight, seeing such a serious and horrifying man acting so jolly. The human, which Alisson no longer considered human, continued it’s walk toward the other hole of black void that wasn’t the entrance.
Alisson’s built up temper, exploded. He started struggling as hard as he could, to no avail, to attempt to break free.
“You see, when I said I had little friends I wasn’t lying, those people down there and I have a mutual relationship you see; I give them my what they desire, just having to be my scraps, and they happily dispose of any unwanted filth I don’t need, you see.”
The monster continued on a conversation with Lily; whilst dragging her face straight into the stone along the floor.
Lily’s eye shot open in despair.
“Puh-lweas…don-do-!”
Another gargle of blood beset her. But it was too late, Davy had reached the hole of black, he peered down it. As he did, shrill shrieks of delight and joy sounded from what Alisson recognized, as Goblins. The monster brought Lily up, with one hand to eye level with him.
“Dear, dear, you won’t be needing this down there, even if you could see in the dark , doubt you’d wanna watch as they ravage you like a doll…”
Her stared at here sadistically, then he grabbed on to the eyepatch Lily was wearing and tore it off , revealing another, perfectly healthy green eye. Shifting his grip from her neck to her head, Davy brought her nearer and into the black void.
“We’ll, tah tah.”
He let go. And with a single tear falling from her eyes, Lily dropped down and out of sight. The shrieks Alisson had heard prior, intensified. More disgustingly delighted and joyful yaps and howls emanated from the pit. A dull voice echoed through the void and back into the room.
“No-! Get away from me! S-sstop!”
A voice which was almost inaudible to a normal human’s ears, rung loudly and clearly in Alisson’s. He listened for several minutes, Lily’s pleas, dying out and weakening until eventually all Alisson could hear were inhuman screams. But, even those died out, and the only sound that rung throughout the room, was that of the howling and delightful yapping of the damned creatures, the Goblins. Alisson stared his eyes wide, sweat rolling down is temples. His head then dropped, his hair covering his face darkly.
“Well, she’s had a fun day, and she’ll have a fun life ahead of her, being a bag for which the little things can use to their pleasure…Well, I won’t be setting such a fate on you so don’t worry, even if you look like a girl those ones will literally rip you apart. But, I’ll be saving you as a little present to my daughter, she’ll be having a very ‘enlightening’ 16th birthday this coming week; so look forward to it, for her sake.”
Davy turned toward the exit, facing the void of the long and dark hallway. He reached into his pocket popped a little brown ball into his mouth with a short crunch.
“Man, these chocolates are really to die for…you Sidonians really have great taste, you know? Well I’ll have to thank my sweet daughter for such a great catch, she’s really reeled in an amazing treat; Soon, I’ll have that little blue haired one, Ferris was it? Nah, I know those aren’t your real names.”
He waved back. He didn’t turn the light off, Alisson could only assume that he’d done so, so that he’d would be forced to see the horrific scene before his eyes.
…
…
…
Met with the situation before him, Alisson didn’t know what to think. He wanted to escape yes, but with that thing roaming about…
Even if Alisson found away of this dammed hook-His pain intensified as he thought of it again- Alisson, despite his steel will, feared that man. Like a childish fear of the dark, he simply didn’t like it.
…
…
…
Time passed. Alisson sat in silence; his mind blank. Was this despair? The inability to look forward?
…
…
…
Alisson closed his eyes, shutting his mind from the scene in front of him.
…
…
…
Long after a few hours had passed; Alisson heard another sound. It was feint, and barely noticeable, as opposed to the thundering footsteps of Davy. Alisson opened his eyes, and stared at the origin of the sound, the hallway of thick and oozing black. When he opened his eyes, he believed that he was dreaming.
Alisson was not an optimist; if something was too good to be true, then it simply wasn’t true.
A little face, one that could of easily belonged to doll’s, peered out of the black.
“Mas-Al-Alisson…? A-Alisson!”
Meekly at first, she stepped forward, however upon seeing Alisson, her stealthy creep, was abandoned and she broke into a run, straight into the room. In the middle of the room, she smiled happily at Alisson, a smile so out of place, a smile he’d never seen before, was right in front of him. However, as Celis’s apparent euphoria faded, so did her smile. Her nose pricked; Her eyes flashed around; her shoulders slumped; and she fell to the ground. She sat, her legs splayed, staring. Her face was blank, and yet she breathed heavily, shaking.
From this reaction; Alisson knew it wasn’t a dream, Celis, was here. Though replacing a short burst of happiness, was his own critic self, always finding the bad in a situation.
Celis…she’s been exposed to far too much traumatic material like this, she’s far too young and yet…I’m a bad master…
Alisson stared at the shaking Celis, wishing he could comfort her.
Hah…funny that I seem not to care about actually getting out of here. Where exactly did my motive go? Where did my raison d'etat go?
On that thought, something flooded into his mind, it was not gently poured or given, it was an invasion.
A hard and churlish flash of ice-cold blue slammed into his mind.
Now now, that isn’t the Alisson I remember. Wake up. Do your task.
An intense fear filled him, his body quaked and rocked violently in the air, he let out part of a yelp ;before the logical part of his mind clamped his thought shut, fearing Davy.
…
W-wh…no. No! What the hell is this!
Corpses, the horribly mutilated corpses of my fratello-my family- my comrades-my, unmet friends.
Alisson shouts. He cuts himself off but…his unemotional face, just shifted to one of pure horror. What the hell scared him more than this crap? His short burst of audibility shakes me back to focus. He didn’t say a word yet; I can’t be sure about his sanity. I stand.
“A-Alisson? Are y-you okay?”
His head lifted, showing a perspiring face and a wild look. As he sets his gaze on me though, his face softened, and he looked guilty.
“Celis. T-thank Sidonia you’re here…We need to get the hell out here. That monster-Davy- he…killed…Lily. G-get me down before he comes back!”
Alisson, for the first time I’ve heard, sounds genuinely scared and fearful. Maybe I’m reading in to him too much, this is a…bad…place we’re in.
I stride toward him. I stand on my tippy toes and look behind his head. My heart drops.
There a curved meat hook, impaling him straight through the neck. I swallow, and glance at Alisson, who shot a pleading look back, only able to do so with his eyes.
Ok. Ok. I’ll get you down…don’t worry.
I chant to myself, pushing myself out of my body. I stretch myself out as tall as I can, and push up on Alisson. Trying to weave his neck up and off the rusted hook. After an awkward second, and after being surprised of my own ability to lift Alisson, he falls to his knees and coughs. I quickly kneel beside him and place my hands over the nape of his neck.
“Heal: 2nd tier.”
A blue aura and soothing hum radiates from my gauntleted hands. Alisson coughed once more. After healing up the surprisingly small, but ultimately painful wound, I start picking the locks to cuffs on his arms and feet.
“Where are we?”
“Blacksen’s Butchery. I came in down a flight of stairs and down that long hallway from a big underground room.”
I flick my head at the black filled hallway I’d emerged from. It was seriously creepy stalking through that environment…I didn’t know if the hallway was ever going to end.
“Then, we'll get down that hallway and outta here then. If we run into Davy…”
Alisson went silent for moment.
“Well, I’ve been stripped of my weapons, but not my armor…so I’ll act as a shiel-"
“P-please. D-don’t say that…”
He went silent once more.
“U-understood. Just in case, Davy has seemed to have made acquaintance with some Goblins…they're the ones that…killed…Lily.”
G-Goblins? Why the hell are they in some basement!? And why has Alisson paused every time that he’s said Lily was ‘Killed’? I’ve learned about Goblins, I’m not as ignorant as you think…d-dummy!
Finally, the last of Alisson’s bindings unlock and he rises in a blur.
He turns his head for a quick word.
“Let’s go.”
I nod.
Alisson dashes down the hall, me close by his back. We care not for stealth it seems. After a minute of sprinting, I hear an eerie noise.
Clang. Clang.
Metal boots on a stone ground. Out of the blackness we emerged, to face a spacious room. It was dimly lit, a workshop of sorts, with a stairway, that was completely obscured by…by…
“Oh ho~. It seems my catch has just walked right in this time. Good thing I disposed of the other one While I had the chance or there’d be three of you little bitches.”
Alisson stepped forward in front of me, his shoulders extending, his spine straight and his eyes affixed on Davy’s. U-uh-! Alisson’s acting like a guy?
“Davy Blacksen. Are you with the Inquisition?”
He shrugged.
“Please. I don’t cull your kind because I’m ordered to…”
His eyes flared. Maybe it was it was my imagination or some kind of magic, but his eyes seemed to turn red, and eerily illuminate in the dark room.
“…I do it cause it’s fun.”
Alisson let out a burst of air through his nostrils. His eye clicked on to a table within the workshop. On the table, lay a row of knives, and a rapier.
Davy and Alisson stared at each other for a moment.
They both blurred at the same time. Alisson, diving for his rapier, and Davy, lifting a large club from an adjacent table. Alisson, with his rapier firmly now in his hand, closed in, not attacking. Davy swung the massive club down at Alisson. Alisson lifted his rapier and tilted it as the club touched it, successfully deflecting the club. Alisson sidestepped and thrust-
“Not. So. Fast.”
Davy reached out and grabbed Alisson by the neck with one hand before he was able to finish his maneuver.
“Yur fancy tricks ain’t gonna work on me.”
Davy threw Alisson, with extreme force-as if he were a piece of trash-straight into a table. The table cracked and caved as Alisson body broke through it, unmoving. Blood ran down one side of his face.
Ah! W-what the hell am I doing!
That’s right! Nothing!
I draw my stilettos and charge. Stupid Idiot! I was just staring at Alisson dumbfounded! I-I can’t expect Alisson to carry me through every fight! His back would get tired!
Davy swings, at me this time. I bob under the club and stab forward with one stiletto.
“I just tol-“
His hand reached out toward me. I let go of my first stiletto, deftly stepping around Davy’s arm. I stab sideways with my remaining stiletto, straight into Davy’s large gut. Dumbass. Does he really think I’m so stupid to fall for that little bait and switch after seeing it for myself!?
I pull out my stiletto and jump away backwards to safety, just barely avoiding a counterattack from that club of his in an attempt to whisk me away.
Davys stumbles, backward, clutching his gut.
“Damned…little brat…”
He lifted two fingers to his mouth. A sharp and long whistle flowed from his mouth.
He’s calling f-for back up? W-who would come in this situation…?
A rumble meets my thoughts.
Stupid Idiot! I rose red flags now didn’t I…
Rumble(s). Yup. It’s a swarm. Laude to me.
Down the hall, scampering. Like paws scraping over stone, clamoring over each other.
Then, it made sense.
Yaps and shrieks echoed down the hall.
Man. Alisson’s pretty smart huh? He warned me, Goblins. I shoot a glance over to Alisson, who’s stumbling up from the debris, acutely dazed, but still in fighting shape. Thank Sidonia.
“I'll take the Goblins!”
“Right!”
Alisson calls back.
Okay. I’ll forget about Davy unless I hear another really loud crash again. I’m confident I can handle some fucking Goblins.
Er. Oops. Guess I’m really itching to kick the crap out of something huh?
I raise a hand, preparing a barrage of the only offensive spell I know. I find the proper runes within my memory, focus on each finger of my hand, inserting the runes and thus forming an inscript for a single spell; now to do that about a dozen more times.
The scampering and shrieking grew louder. I ready as many spells as I can. The sounds overtake everything else in my ears; filling the air with their, their, disgusting sounds.
The first of many peaks their head out of the blackness, about 10 meters away. It’s face had two large teeth jutting upright, and it’s black pupils were sharp and weirdly horizontal. It’s body followed, a sick gray. Multiple unholy deformations and bulges plagued the creature. It’s about as tall as I am. Thank Sidonia it’s wearing a loin cloth or…
…Yeah. Not sorry, but, I don’t appreciate you attempting to defile my ears with your disgusting mouths or my eyes with your disgusting appearance.
“Pict!”
I unleash a couple dozen of the pent up inscripts, formally graduating them to spells. The forward most Goblin takes one to the head and spun backward. As the The grayed creatures pour into my vision I fire off spells; As soon as they see me in the light, a bolt caves in their skull.
10…
6…
3…
1…
I’m dry. I have no more prepared inscripts, so I’ll just have to take the rest of them out on the fly. I prepare my singular stiletto.
Wait! Single!? Oh, right. I dropped my other one…
Welp. I guess I’ll have to roll with magic in one hand and a blade in the other.
I prepare only 3 inscripts by the time the remaining four Goblins clamber their way over the corpses of 20 of their allies.
I doubt they’d notice, or even care about their friend’s deaths. Selfish bastards. But, I’d like to consider my self a meatgrinder, ready to annihilate these idiots running into me.
The forward most one jumps at me. I bob to the side, the Goblin missing his target entirely. I stab the next one in the gut and fire off a Pict spell straight into it’s head point-blank. As his head detonates with a bunch of gross goop, the third one flails both it’s arms at me. I uppercut the bastard with my spell imbued fist, firing off a spell as I do so. I sidestep and stab the fourth straight through the forehead. The First one, who’d missed me, jumps at me for a second time, I turn, and roundhouse kick it, sending it spinning into the wall. As it shakes it’s head in a daze, I fire off my last spell to it’s head like a mercy kill.
“Pictunee! Fult!”
I turn toward Alisson. Down Davy's left shoulder streams a river of blood from Alisson's spells.
“Fucking brat!”
With his right arm, Davy swung his club.
In this enclosed space, Alisson couldn’t can’t dodge or parry at all…but Alisson did something I’d never expect from him; He activated his Opensen.
The dark room flashed brilliantly blue. As fast as the flash appeared, it faded, leaving Alisson glowing with a dull blue aura. Atop his head, yellow furred cat-ears rested, and out the back of hip, twirled two pale yellow tails around each other.
Davy’s club impacted on Alisson’s rapier and created a shockwave of visible air. But Alisson, despite being a third the size of Davy, did not buckle, and locked weapons with him. After a second, Alisson started to push back, overpowering the giant. The two tails rotating behind Alisson reached onto his armor. They withdrew knives, wrapped around by the tips of the tails. Alisson then tilted his rapier, letting Davy’s own power slide his club off and away from Alisson. Alisson thrust, repeatedly, in lighting quick movements too fast for my eyes to perceive. Davy tried swinging his club again, but Alisson’s tails shot out and sliced at Davy’s arms.
Davy, at this point, was covered in blood, multiple holes dotted his body like swiss cheese. Alisson stepped back a little, preparing what seemed like to be the finishing blow to Davy. The giant, despite his wounds strode forward, not bothering to lift his club or tense his body. Alisson’s body surged forward in a blur and his rapier impacted directly into Davy’s chest.
However, Davy, did not halt. He reached out his arms toward Alisson and grabbed on to his sword arm and head. Davy tightenend his fist around Alisson’s sword arm. I heard and audible crunch, and Alisson let a gasp of pain.
Alisson’s rapier dropped to the stone floor, and Davy kicked it away to the side. Alisson struggled furiously, his arms and tails attempting to push away from Davy’s grip. Davy lifted Alisson off his feet by his hair despite his struggle.
I, I need to help! But, my body won’t move. Met with the sight of Alisson cringing from pain and Davy staring at me with a ear to ear grin, I stood, staring in shock.
Davy reached up to Alisson’s cat-ears and caressed one gently.
“Oh how soft, it were a shame if someone were to…”
Davy’s hand suddenly tightened on one of Alisson’s cat-ears, and pulled, hard. Alisson’s eyes shot open wide in shock, his pupils small and his mouth open in a horrifying grimace.
I heard a tendon pop, in a crunch, and Alisson’s ear shifted slightly up, blood ran down Alisson face.
He’s, Davy is…w-what the hell!?
Another tendon tore and audibly popped, Alisson's ear tilted and shifted unnaturally up. Davy’s smile seemed to grow as Alisson winced. Another tendon popped, and I could now see a part of Alisson’s cat-ear dis attached from his head, red tendons dangling.
Apparently finally buckling from the pain, Alissson screamed out, his eyes wincing and his body furiously still struggling.
Crack. Crunch. Pop.
One by one, the tendons holding Alisson’s ear to his head were ripped and torn. His ear was now holding on to his head by a single dark red thread.
Crunch.
That too, was now snapped. Davy inspected Alisson’s now un-attached ear for a moment, before crushing it in his hand. Davy chuckled.
“Ho,ho. Can’t you wait to see that happen to your little ‘apprentice’?”
Alisson eyes were dark, and seemed to have lost any sign of coherence, he simply stared blankly at the floor with phlegm streaming out of his mouth and mixing with the overabundance of blood from his ear. Davy frowned, apparently not satisfied with Alisson’s response. Davy threw the lifeless Alisson.
He went smashing into a stone wall with snap. His chest plate was cracked, splattered with blood. I hope that’s Davy’s blood…because there’s a lot…
Alisson weakly mumbled as he struggled to keep his eyes open. His eyes closed, and his body slumped.
N-no…d-don’t leave me with this thing!
Davy, somehow still standing and appearing fine health-wise even after suffering multiple wounds, locked eyes with me. My body physically shrank away from him, shaking in fear.
More rumbles. A second wave of Goblins is coming! How many of those bastards does Davy have stuffed in there!? Well, they might’ve reproduced…
I shake my head, despite my fear.
Okay! My only chance now is to beat Davy as fast as I can, and then fight off the Goblins! I will not win a pincer in a corridor! And especially against what a equates to a wall of sick flesh! Mustering my courage, I sprint forward, low to the ground. I lifted up the stiletto I dropped earlier, finally re assuming control of my full arsenal. Davy swings his club down upon me. I keep my sprint going straight, not charging towards Davy directly as he predicted. Using the time from approaching a round about way, I’ve managed to prepare two Pict spells, each imbued in a stiletto.
I twist my legs and break off from my circular and roundabout trajectory to Davy, now heading straight at him. I’m amazed I didn’t just break a bone from that sharp turn. Davy, instead of re centering himself before swinging, simply scraped his club along the floor and twisted his full body. The shrill screech of hard wood on stone pierced my ears, as if calling for my death.
Damnit. I wanted to save my spells for Davy but…
I twist my body toward his club, now only a couple feet away from smashing my tiny body like tinfoil.
“Pict!”
My two prepared spells unleash length-wise out of my stilettos. In a flash, they slammed into the club, changing it’s direction. The sudden change made Davy’s body follow his runaway club. He let go of the club, as any experienced fighter would have done, to attempt to stop himself.
But it was too late. His back was turned to me, and I seized the opportunity. Two stilettos collapsed upon the back of his neck. Davy let out a pain grunt.
Hell yeah! Now I can focus on the-!?
An open palm crashed into my ribcage.
“Awagh!”
I’m knocked off my feet and roll across the ground a meter. I attempt to scramble up, but I only mange to get to my knees as a pain shoots through my chest. I think one my ribs might be broken…
I shakily stand, despite my body’s screams at me.
If I don’t fight, and win, a lot more worse things will happen to me than a broken rib.
Davy, still stands; I impaled both of his arteries-what the hell is this guy made of!? He stared at me, as the second Goblin wave poured in and formed a semicircle around me with Davy at the raise of his hand. They’re not going to attack right away…?
…I have an opportunity.
“Welp. Looks like you fucked up. How does it feel to know about what’s about to happen to you huh?” He scoffed, “Well not like it matters anyway but…”
His voice slowly cut out, until his mouth lay visibly open. His eyes, turned up, and he collapsed with a massive thud.
He…he’s dead! I did kill him! A bit delayed…
The Goblins stupidly looked at each other for a few seconds.
Nice, I was able to squeeze in a few more…
The Goblins, charged at me, ten of them, less than half of the previous wave, but I wasn’t going to go easy on them. They weren’t in a corridor, they completely surrounded me, this number disparity is a real problem.
So, it’s a good thing I started preparing spells as soon as I saw they weren’t going to attack immediately…
I lift both of my hands at the swarm of disgusting creatures, only a meter before me.
“Pict!”
Thirteen bolts simultaneously materialized and flashed at the Goblins. In a single second, eight of the ten Goblins were on the floor dead. Two were still up; either because I missed or one shot wasn’t enough.
I punch the closest one and stab the other straight in the forehead. Thanks to them being in a daze because of my barrage, it was pretty easy. I spun and roundhouse kicked the first into a table, it laid unmoving, but I don’t take the chance.
“Pict!”
A single and well-aimed bolt turns it’s head into a black mist. I stand for a moment, In apparent victory, my adrenaline making me look around for other things to kill.
When my mind finally realizes that the combat has ended, I rush over to Alisson without care of my rib and cast a healing spell on him. His remaining cat-ear and limp tails slowly fade away, in a blue and sparkling dust. He coughed and resuscitated himself. The healing spell branch does come with stimulants, so he might have had no actual fatal wounds but…
…just in case.
Alisson rubs his eyes and coughs once more, looking around at the corpse filled room. The black blood of the Goblins flooded the floor by about an inch. His eyes opened in shock and he stared me. He was about to open his mouth, but, the both of us heard a floorboard crack. Pumped up on adrenaline, we both turn around to the noise.
"You...you...you killed my, my Pa! I'll K-K-K-Kill yoooooou!"
Behind us, next to the stairway, stood Sophia, she had a large kitchen knife in hand and was bellowing uncontrollably. Alisson shakily stood, walked over to the shaking Sophia, and punched her. She collapsed, knocked out.
He rose his rapier off the ground.
Sophia screamed as she was shocked out of her unconsciousness, with a blade through her chest. She foamed at the mouth, screaming incoherently and shaking around. By the time she'd stopped moving, her fingernails had been peeled off from her scraping at the floor. Alisson, had simply watched, in silence.
***
1. A saturation attack is a common military tactic wherein one side attempts to overwhelm or surprise the other with sheer numbers or raw strength.