Winter was waiting, and it felt like ages. He felt anxious for some reason, but he couldn't exactly tell why. The lavander haired reaper tried to fix his hair to pass the time, but the pounding of his heart just won't let him be. He felt as if...something bad would happen.
He sniffs the air, and his eyes quickly widened. He sensed danger lingering about.
He tried to call Humility, when suddenly the white reaper appeared before him.
Humility was opening up the window, his gray hair was back to its usual neck-length. The reaper seems to be in a good mood.
WINTER: Ah, you scared me. I thought it was something else.
Humility giggles, then replies.
HUMILITY: Silly. You're supposed to be fierce and mighty, I'm a bit hurt you thought I was something else.
WINTER: Well, yeah...sorry about that.
The purple reaper walked pass him, searching the room.
Winter looked at the reaper's actions, and wondered why he was doing it. Does Humility sense something else?
HUMILITY: I heard you're moving her.
Winter's gaze suddenly refocused on him.
Humility looked at Gabby's room.
HUMILITY: So...what is she doing?
WINTER: Sleeping.
HUMILITY: Good. Good. Now..I want you to know that I've been tasked to move her. And your assistance will not be needed for the meantime.
WINTER: What? Is something wrong? I'm doing my job perfectly. She hadn't been snatched ever since, right? Look, if that Red guy or whatever is having second thoughts he better check his record. He lost her a few times and I haven't. Tell Madamme I like this job. And I-
HUMILITY: Calm your horses. It's nothing personal.
Winter felt like laughing. He sighed in relief. He thought it was something serious.
HUMILITY: ...or is it?
Winter felt that Humility's aura suddenly changed. His purplish eyes glowed and suddenly, out of the blue and in only a span of a split second, Humility striked.
His laugh turned into a feminine cackle, and that was when he knew it wasn't his superior.
Winter quickly chanted a spell he learned from the years(of which only old Yellow Reapers could acquire) and quickly turned himself into different sorts of animals in one after a bright light envelope his body for three seconds. His opponent was shocked, but not scared. Even though his left hand was a tentacle while the other was a tiger paw with its claws already bare. His feet were also that of a cheetah to give him speed while his eyes were suddenly changed into an eagle's for better eyesight. His ears were that of a feline so he'd hear her movements, but his changes didn't stop the creature from continuing.
...
Gabby suddenly awoke to noises outside her room. She opened the door half-asleep, but quickly regained her senses once she saw a beast fighting with Winter. And her dog whimpering and hiding on the couch.
The beast looked at her pleadingly while Winter, half whose hands were that of white snakes looked at her and demanded her to go back to her room.
:IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE GABBY! HE'S NOT ME!
The beast said. And he tried to morph back but even so, the mirror still portrays him as a monster looking creature.
Confused, he didn't care anymore and ran up to Gabby, who felt still and unable to move.
The real Winter tried his best to barricade Gabby, while the imposter hisses and tries to attack.
WINTER: Why isn't anyone recieving my signal?
The reaper was very much confused without knowing that a bunch of jinx was up above them flapping their wings tirelessly to create a barrier. Silas was staring at them from the outside, perched up in the tree, making illusions and having a blast seeing Winter struggle.
It will only take one bite to be defeated by the deity's guardian snake. And Winter, though effective in a wide field, will have struggles to kill its enemy given the small space and mortal lives at stake. He cannot summon another dimension too, he wondered what sort of trick his enemy was using.
He tried to evade the attacks, while Gabby was convinced that the beast was her true ally. Irritated, the imposter looked outside for a moment, then shifted into her true form.
Winter was at shock when he realized he was facing a deity's guardian and quickly looked at the window for escape, but soon realized that something was definitely there, though he couldn't quite see it.
The woman swiftly threw sharp daggers in his direction to serve as disractions. Winter quickly grew extra limbs to catch them all, but while he was busy catching twenty one of them, an identical figure suddenly swoops the red haired girl from behind.
Crysa laughed at Winter's carelessness, and was about to jump off the window, when she felt her hand turn into a wilted branch once Gabby squeezed her.
She quickly shrieked and let go of Gabby, making her fall.
Winter, now knowing she'd surely die if he lets her like that for any more second, quickly ran towards the window while Flora turned into a giant snake to bite him.
Focus already on Gabby, he failed to protect himself and quickly got stung.
He didn't mind the pain that point and jumped quickly and just in time to save her.
Going back to the room, back still bleeding from the huge fang wounds, Winter knew he still failed to protect her.
The dog kept barking, trying to get closer to Winter, to which the reaper only smiled to, patting the dog one last time before squeezing Gabby's arm to comfort her.
The dog resumed barking, whimpering, knowing that Winter was getting weaker every second. But rather than leave the hurting reaper for a moment's peace, the snake twins quickly dragged the poor and dizzy Winter near the Window.
Gabby, now knowing that her hands does in fact work with supernaturals, tried to touch Flora when Crysa quickly hissed her to stop.
CRYSA: Do that again and I'd kill your friend. Now, if you come to us willingly without being a brat to get this over with, I might spare his life.
Winter knew that for the meantime he'd definitely would be useless to provide her safety. His vision was fading quickly and he felt like he fell unto an endless pit. After a while he loses conciousness and Gabby felt irritated that she couldn't do anything but agree.
GABBY: Who are you? Why are you taking me?
The twin deity never replied but both furrowed their brows at her. Crysa, holding her crippled hand saw the pair of gloves on the floor.
CRYSA: Wear those. Take 'em off and we'll take your hands off.
She said in a deep menacing tone.
Gabby put them on as what's told, and Crysa held her hand gently to avoid her from feeling uncomfortable. The green eyed woman felt confused as to why her eyes looked soft and motherly, but her purpose was not.
She looked at the tree and after looking keenly and blinking several times, she swore she saw a floating red eye staring at her.
The same eye she saw in her dreams nights before.
Silas smiled to himself and looked at the jinxi above him. Jinko looked at him with no clear expression in his face. They successfully captured Gabby, he could take revenge, but after all of it, he felt surprisingly empty inside. He wanted to go back to the cave where Fia was waiting. But until the mission was over, he couldn't.
...
SILAS: Aren't you happy?
The fairy asked Jinko when they returned to the giant tree. Hanayo was distracted by the beautiful flowers surrounding the area and Silas was much but happy the deity was an air head.
HANAYO: When are Crysa and Flora coming back?
JINKO: They'd come back soon, don't worry.
SILAS: Are you paying attention?
Jinko looked at the man, demanding an answer and he quickly put on a fake cheerful and sadistic grin.
JINKO: I am most happy of this victory. I've been wanting to have her for some time now.
SILAS: Well then, you can spend as much time you want with her. The more she's scared, the more pain we can give the enemy.
Silas whispered as to avoid Hanayo from hearing.
Jinko nodded, although it was never his intention to touch Gabby. He wasn't interested in her body, he never was.
...
Crysa was in the cave, assisted by Flora, with Gabby on Flora's back and Winter dragged on in a net by Crysa's uninjured arm. They saw a nest on the floor and the goblin signals them to step on it.
The two did and it revealed a tunnel further down. It felt like the air was slowly thinning and it didn't made the guardians happy.
FLORA: This place is so stinky. It smells like corpses.
CRYSA: I know, but if we want Hanayo safe and sound, (I knew this deal was sketchy from the start...) we have to do what he says. His mother will be upset if he gets even the smallest scratch.
FLORA: *sigh* I know...
They continued to walk down, Crysa assited by the goblins in supporting Winter's body as she carefully watches her step.
When they reached a specific room, their hearts jumped from seeing three other bodies, clearly missing body parts, placed on three different tables.
Flora looked at the poor girl in her hands who was now sleeping because of the flower they made her ate. She looked at Crysa and guilt was obviously present in her eyes.
FLORA: What is all this? What are we a part of suddenly?
COMFREYY: Hatred.
The small fairy behind them replied calmly, the two almost shrieked when they realized her presence.
The fairy's eyes however, were lifeless like the bodies laid before them.
She flew to the table and looked at the red haired woman briefly.
The fairy sighed.
COMFREYY: You know at this point...we're all just objects to him.
FLORA: No, no, no...bring the girl and her guardian and we're done, right?
COMFREYY: He doesn't have a heart. Even if he does, its dead. Look what he made me do!
The twins looked and felt disgusted looking at the bodies in a closer scope.
COMFREYY: They're reapers. Innocents. They were never the enemies. He made me do it to them. He's a fairy like me, and he kidnapped me to do things for his own gain. And you, you're not friends before, right?
CRYSA: Yes, but-
COMFREYY: Then he'd do much worse when you refuse to do what he says. He'd end your lives when you're useless to him. Like what he did to the goblins that are too weak to construct this place. That man...is fueled by a childish hatred.
The goblins shivered in fear and asked the fairy to stop talking but Comfreyy insisted.
COMFREYY: If ever you get out of here...please get out. Leave him and go to the divine realm where you are safe...forget who you are protecting. For once he's close, he will never...let you out of his sight. Staying alive when you're doing his deeds...I learned were not...worth it.