Vainglorious felt the wind blow through his white wavy hair, his gray eyes snapped open.
The landscape looked murky, gray, and without life. To anyone not knowing any better, they wouldn't recognize this foreign place. But Vainglorious knew exactly what he was doing.
The ritual had worked. He could feel it. He knew his body was back at the waterfall where he had left it. That he was only here in spirit. But he wouldn't let his guard down. Just because his physical body wasn't here didn't mean he was safe in the land of the dead. That he would necessarily make it back to his body in the land of the living if he wasn't precise and careful like he always was.
"Following the river Styx, where life runs dry and merk is thick. Your energy runs on the till stays too long and the land and it will drink its fill. Going off the river Phlegethon beyond the murky path, but if you go until the path bleeds red, there's no turning back." Vainglorious recited the verse from Zealous' book.
Vainglorious looked down the long winding river. He wished he could have bought something with him. An energy position, Zealous book, his wand that was now corrupted with dark magic. But he couldn't bring anything with him. Not even the clothes on his back.
Crossing his pale slender arms over his bare chest he looked over to where the murky river stretched. But there really seems to be no end. He began to walk, his bare feet walking over the gravel path that followed the river.
He could only hope he didn't have to walk long before he found this Relic the vampire slayer.
Vainglorious continued to trudge, dragging his feet across the gray gravel. The river next to him blowing sprays of water onto his snow-white face. His eyelids became heavier with each passing moment. But he couldn't rest because he knew if he did he wouldn't get up again. The land would continue to drain his energy while he rested.
"Hey boy, you a Jinn?" Yelled a stranger's voice.
Vainglorious turned towards the voice and saw a man standing on a raft with billowy gray sails and plush pillows lining the wooden raft. He was covered in dark robes the only thing showing was his pale feet and his face. He stared at the stranger's face, but the longer he stared the more and more unsure he was whether the stranger was young or old.
"You a Jinn?" Asked the robed stranger once again when Vainglorious didn't answer. "You know a Jinn, a slave that uses magic?"
The stranger traced a snake with his finger over his collar bone. Vainglorious' hand unconsciously covered the snake tattoo that sat on his bare collar bone.
"I am nobody's slave!" He sneered, sticking his tongue out at the stranger.
"Someone has or had control over you in the world of the living thought. Otherwise, you wouldn't have that mark on your skin. You don't have to worry though, even if your master is dead doesn't necessarily mean he made it down here, or that he is even master of anything anymore. Things do work differently here, you know."
"Shut up! I told you I'm not a slave! Even if those old practices didn't die out with the vampires I still... wouldn't be a..." A warm wave washed over Vainglorious' body, he caught himself before he could tip backward. "...I wouldn't be..."
His sentence began to droop, falling from his soft lips to drift off with the white sand below. His eyelids fluttering. Something that didn't go unnoticed by the man on the raft.
"You're alive." The man whispered to himself, his eyes gleaming under his robes. "You're attached to a physical body that's energy is being sucked from it as we speak. My, where is the rest of your group? Did you come here alone? I didn't know I was speaking to such a young yet powerful witch."
"I'm not...witch." Vainglorious slurred out. "I'm an... ice wizard."
"But you used a witch's ritual to get here. You've done it so naturally. That makes you a witch."
Vainglorious didn't know when it had happened, but the next time his eyes fluttered he was laying down, staring up at the gray cloudy sky. His head of white hair resting on the stranger's black-robed lap.
"It's okay, the lord of this world doesn't agree with living things wandering into his domain. But I have a thing especially for powerful little witches I do." The man contented, petting Vainglorious' head. "You can stay here with me and sleep. Shh."
"But I can't stay here, I can't die here." Vainglorious desperately tried to open his mouth to say.
But the words were stuck on his lips. The waves underneath the raft rocking him back and forth in a gentle swaying motion...
Meanwhile, in the world of the living Nightdread had begun walking towards the waterfall where Vainglorious' physical body lay in a restful state.
Luminous bit her lip looking between Concord who was being drowned in the river by the recently summoned corrupt. To Vainglorious whose physical body was nothing but a defenseless shell.
"I hate to say it, but we really need the wizard!" Yelled the Dawn of Fate."You can only save one!"
Luminous clutched her chest.
"No, that's not true!" Gritting her teeth she raised the Dawn of Fate up above her head with all her might and screamed out."Blade synchronization!"
The Dawn of Fate grew five sizes from his already gigantic form. But instead of slashing Nightdread, she slashed the ground. Dirt and grass were pulled up into the air around them. Like a baseball bat, Luminous continuously swung the sword-slashing up the ground, debris and dirt making the air around them obscure.
"What the?"
Nightdread tried to cover his face with his arm. Dust continuously getting into his beady copper eyes. Then with the last of her strength Luminous gripped the navy blue handle and slammed the Dawn of Fate to the ground so hard her feet lifted an inch off the ground.
The debris that she kicked up from the sword all blew towards Nightdread. The force from the impact blowing him away along with the dust back farther into the forest.
Luminous panted, sweat dripping from her fair skin. Her tiny arms felt like they were burning.
"Wow, I can't believe it. You made a perfect smokescreen." Said the Dawn of Fate, dust billowing everywhere. "You bought yourself a moment at the most. But don't think for a moment he'll just-" The sword shrunk back to his normal size.
Luminous didn't miss a beat. Picking up the Dawn of Fate she ran towards Concord. She was greeted by the cold smack of water on her face as she dived headfirst into the river.
Luminous floated in the water looking around for Concord. She spotted his yellow metallic fingers through his torn brown leather glove. The rest of his body was covered with the small chubby corrupt.
"Short stuff it's too late, he's going to reach the bottom in a matter of seconds and drown! Even if you get to him in time you're not going to be able to get those things off of him and save Snobs from the vampire at the same time." Said the Dawn of Fate. "This has become an impossible mission!"
Something bright blue caught the corner of Luminous' eye. The forget-me-not flower was swaying in the river current on the sandy wall across from her. The sight of it felt her with dread.
"Shortstuff, are you listening!?" Yelled the Dawn of Fate.
Luminous pointed the vermillion blade of the Dawn of Fate behind herself. Angling the hilt and herself down towards the bottom of the river bed where Concord and the corrupt were. With all her might her heart called out.
Blade synchronization!
The Dawn of Fates blade expanded five times bigger than it already was once again. The force of the blade clashing with the wall behind her propelled her forward towards Concord. The blade shrunk back to normal again her feet floating in the water to the other side of the wall.
Luminous did the same thing over and over again zig-zagging from one end of the river bed to the next. Blue petals from the forget-me-not flower getting sucked into the current as Luminous smashed into them with the Dawn of Fate.
Concord opened his cyan eyes enough to see Luminous' outstretched hand reaching towards him. Her small frame glowing in the fake moonlight. She's an angel...he thought to himself.
But as she swam closer he began to notice the panic edged into her features. Biting his lip he reached his metal hand out, fighting against all the chubby dark corrupt scratching and biting him.
The moment his robotic hand connected with Luminous soft human one she jabbed the Dawn of Fates blade into the sandy river bed skewering a bunch of corrupt that were in her way in the process. The ones who got hit turned into black dust floating around in the water.
Blade synchronization!
The Dawn of Fates blade expanded five times bigger propelling her and Concord upwards. The water tension braking, sprays of water flying all around Luminous. The droplets flying up through her pink button shirt that slid a little bit up her midriff threw her short blonde hair that now stuck out everywhere.
Her pink puffed-out cheeks gasped for air. Not long after the bulbous corrupt jumped out of the river flinging themself into the air after them.
Luminous dropped Concord to the grassy ground below her. Gripping the navy blue hilt with both her hands she swung the humongous blade at the corrupt in a complete 360 degree around herself. They all vaporize like shadows that touched light.
Luminous began falling out of the sky. Her tiny body plummeted to the ground. Blue flower petals flying in the air where she landed. They now surrounded her everywhere.
Squinting, she peered up and saw that Nightdread was seconds away from grabbing Vainglorious. Her eyes went wide and she was about to scream out when.
"Luminous!"
Luminous turned around to see Concord. His clothes were tattered and hanging loosely off his fair skin, his mint green hair had strands hanging out of his ponytail. But his face held urgency as he crouched with both his robot and human hand interlocked together, cupped below his knee.
"Hurry!" He shouted.
Luminous ran towards him. She put her foot into his hands. He used all the force he had to propel her forward.
She flew in the air right towards Nightdread. Nightdread reached his sickly pale hand down to grab the unconscious Vainglorious. Gripping both her hands on the hit of the Dawn of Fate Luminous swung right at the vampire's head.
Nightdread caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, quickly jumping back out of the range of the blade. Looking at the small girl who collapsed to the ground after flying towards him he spotted something out of the corner of his copper eye. Blood dripping out of a small sliver cut from his cheek.
"I can't believe you actually cut me." Scoffed Nightdread crossing his arms.
"Told you you were going to be sucking the sharp tip of my blade." Said the Dawn of Fate.
"Oh, is that so!"
Luminous pushed herself up onto her arms. Not a moment later Nightdread stamped his foot down onto her upper back. Forcing her to collapse into the ground, chunks of dirt flying up around them.
"Now you're starting to piss me off!" Nightdread sneered. "If you want me to stomp you into the ground so badly then bring it!"
Nightdread went to stomp his foot down on her again when Luminous rolled away. More dirt and chunks came flying up. Luminous' body tumbled.
Nightdread put his pipes up to his lips again, the notes coming out on the same melody as before.
"Eat myself, my fill. I stay still until I fade away. It's like I've lived for nothing else, but why no matter how much I eat, I still get this feeling of emptiness inside." Sung the notes.
A bunch of chubby corrupt came out of the bushes and trees baring their sharp hungry teeth.
One of the corrupt reached his outstretched arm out to Luminous. Pushing up to her feet she slashes the corrupt with the Dawn of Fate and it disappeared into black dust.
But the more and more of them she slayed the more and more showed up. Luminous began backing up as they crowded her, causing her to go deeper into the fake forest.
"Wait! Something about this isn't right!" Said the Dawn of Fate. "Don't back up any father! We're being corralled!"
But it was too late Luminous backed up until her back hit the tree. The thick forest entrapped her like a cage. Her blue eyes scanning the beady-eyed creatures that surrounded her.
"Great now we're surrounded by these hungry little monsters." Said the Dawn of Fate. "You have to do soul connect with me now! It's our only way out of here!"
Luminous did what the Dawn of Fate had tried to instruct her to do countless times before. She reached down into her gut and tried to connect with him. She squeezed her eyes tightly, clenching her fist, but nothing. Still, nothing happened.
"Ahh!" Luminous screamed.
One of the corrupt chomped down on her thigh with its sharp teeth.
"You know if they're too much for you dear you could always use your powers of dusk to control them." Laughed Nightdread peering down his nose at her. "I don't know why you're trying light spells, you're obviously a dusk wielder."
"Dusk wielder?" Panted Luminous, swinging the heavy sword at the monster. "What's a dusk wielder?"
"You don't know?" Asked Nightdread. "Really now, Dawn. What did you tell this poor girl about her fate? Or would you prefer her not to know what's coming for her? It all ends the same either way. Whether she chooses to control the corrupt or not."
"I can control the corrupt?!" Exclaimed Luminous.
"No, you can't!" Yelled the Dawn of Fate.
"But if I can control the corrupt then. I can use them to save my friends. The red prince, Chasm, maybe even the missing brown princess. I could even take back my kingdom. I could..."
"Luminous!" Yelled the Dawn of Fate.
His voice sent a chill down her spine. She had never heard him say her actual name before.
"You have to trust me, kid, please."
Luminous felt the twinge of sadness in his voice that clutched her heart.
"O...of course, I do..." She stammered, shaking her head. "I trust you, Dawn! I always will!"
"Tch!" Sneered Nightdread. "If you want to place your trust so foolishly, then so be it. You won't be around much longer anyway." He smiled, his fangs gleaming in the fake moonlight provided by the garden dome."Obligated by faceless dame's, remembering even the littlest of names. This rule applies no more, peeking through a forbidden door. Burning memories icy hot, but remember to forget me not."
The night blue buds opened immediately like thousands of little eyes looking at her. Bright white pollen dripped from the flowers blowing in the air past her short blonde hair, waving in between her pink button shirt with the chickens on it.
"Luminous! Don't look at the flowers! Cover your face!" Concord's ragged voice rang out.
Luminous' blue eyes held the surrounding flowers like a mirror. All at once, her memories from the red prince's first time climbing a tree to when they were three. To the time she had climbed up to the roof of the place because she saw that Chasm had looked so lonely sitting on the rooftop in front of the moon came into her mind.
Just as the memory's appeared, they quickly slipped like sand from her mind. Chasms beautiful cherry lips, from his striking deep blue eyes began to blur on his perfect porcelain face.