Chereads / Rabbit's Foot: Heartbreak Hero / Chapter 52 - Language Barrier

Chapter 52 - Language Barrier

Panila was calmly soothing herself with chain making, one of her favourite pass times. She was creating a well crafted rune carved chain to wrap around Ven's neck when she finally got him. As she was finishing the final touches, Cheshire appeared in front of her. She gave him a slight wave to speak as she placed down the chain on her desk.

Cheshire explained his failure at Pandora's Melody, seeming to irritate Panila, who had just barely managed to regain her human form after her explosive outburst. As Cheshire wrapped up his briefing with a playful laugh, Panila said in a cold, flat tone; "Cur omnes me deficiunt?"

The two looked at each other in confusion as she tried to speak again, only for it to come out the same. "Cur recte loqui non possum? Iuro..." She growled, ready to break everything in sight at her own failure to speak clearly. "Should I call Parfaitz?" He asked with a laugh, his tail swaying back and fourth in slight amusement. She took a moment to consider her options before nodding. 

"Et dices mortuam esse si turris non operatur!"

Back in Pandora's Melody, everyone stood at the front entrance to The Tower of Babel, with Ven pointing out the strange black ink coated on the doors. It seems something had broken in and was in a mad dash to the top of the tower. 

As everyone began their ascent of the once warm, now cold, twisting tower of divinity, they couldn't help but feel as though the once shining white marble of the spire had become an inky mess. "Αυτό είναι ακριβώς όπως το μελάνι του Peni..." Avis mumbled, even though no one could really understand her. 

As they reached further and further up the winding staircase, searching a few side rooms to find nothing, they reached a long, outstretched hall containing many artefacts and decorations, with two imposingly large white doors at the end. 

"Scommetto che quello che c'è dietro è importante." Ven said with a smirk as he motioned to the doors. Everyone collectively agreed with a nod as they slowly approached. Vinea began looking at some of the pictures on the wall. He quickly stopped when he passed one with an interesting title. "Guys... I think this one might be important." He said with a point of his Vine. "Nani?" Tika asked as everyone gathered around.

It was a photo of a young women in a red beanie with demonic looking ram horns poking through, having blonde bangs that covered her eyes, reminiscent of Panila, standing in front of the Tower of Babel. Vinea motioned to the name description of the picture, titled; "Our New Lives."

"What's so important about it?" Vex questioned, trying to figure out why Vinea had stopped their little walk for this. "Uhm... Her." He said as he pointed to a familiar white haired woman in the background, who was selling sticks. 

Vex looked a bit confused, staring close the the picture to make sure. "It's Rat? But why is that important?" She asked, before tapping the plaque. "This is a photo from over two hundred years ago." 

Everyone looked a bit stunned, but Ven spoke up first; "Scopriamolo più tardi..." He said before a loud crash was heard behind the doors. Everyone turned their heads to see Moria get thrown out from the doors, scraping against the ground before she noticed everyone, giving a casual wave before charging back inside.

"Uh... Follow her, I guess?" Vinea nervously chuckled as Ven and Zamtika were already following behind. He let out a sigh as he chased after everyone, finding himself in a lavish pale white marbled office with hundreds of different fauna and collectables and a broken window that Moria quickly jumped through. "W-Wait!" Vinea yelled as everyone quickly ran over, only to see her climbing up. 

"Tika, portali!" Ven yelled as he quickly jumped out the window, using portals to redirect his momentum. Though she actually had no clue what he said, but instead, Iyu pointed out a convenient set of stairs that seemed to have been hidden behind a moved bookcase.

Ven quickly landed at the peak of the tower, seeing Mementis and Moria looking worse for wear. He was going to ask what happened but realised they wouldn't understand him, so he quickly joined them as they seemed prepared for a fight. 

A loud, piercing screech was heard from the sky before a beast landed before them, turned away. "Help... Us..." It cried out in agony. It had a ruined dark fur covered lion like body with blue scaled dragon wings adorned on its back and a dragon's tail whipping the ground, causing it to crack. Ven looked stunned, before turning over and noticing a pedestal where what looked like a jewel should be slotted, was missing. 

"Cos'è quella cosa?" He mumbled as the beast turned its head, revealing a disfigured fusion of Sun-Splitter, Ice-Piercer and Goat's faces, in one horrid amalgamation of flesh, with Goat's horns sticking into its eyes, though it still seemed to be able to see them. It held a jewel in its paw, trying to prevent Mementis and Moria from getting it.

The duo charged at the beast, cutting and slicing it repeatedly, only for the amalgam to regenerate, letting out horrid screeches of pain as it breathed fire towards them, lightly burning Mementis, who quickly shrugged it off. Moria motioned for Ven to help get the gem, which he happily obliged. 

The three began coordinating their attacks, cutting at the beast as it cried out in fear and terror, seeming unaware of its own sense of self. Ven took note of a stitch where its heart should be, quickly opening a portal to it and stabbing it into the beasts heart, causing it to drop the jewel and fly into the air, where it began charging a ball of flames. 

Before Ven could even think, Tid-Bit quickly took control and slotted the gem back on its Pedestal before Ven took back control. "Bit, you gotta stop doing that!" He yelled, before quickly realising he could speak normally again. Moria laughed as Mementis launched her towards the beast, where she quickly split it in half.

The monster fell down to the tower, its two halfs landing with a crash as everyone had finally gotten up the stairs. "That... Was... Long..." Avis complained, despite having wings. Tika looked over, now questioning what happened in the 4 minutes it took for them to get up there. 

"Thanks Ven." The siblings said with a laugh, bowing their heads slightly. Iyu let out a sigh, saying in a flat tone. "Mementis and Moria. Why have you slain the chimera?"

"Cause we wanted a fight." Moria laughed, not really happy with how easy that was. But the beast was still seemingly alive, as its body twitched. "Now what?" Mementis asked with a bored sigh. "You idiots. THE CHIMERA WAS A DISTRACTION!" She yelled, showing actual anger in her voice, even though her face showed a calm and sweet smile. "A distraction for what?" Ven asked as a dome of white feathers began forming around the peak of the tower. 

A short woman with multiple pairs of wings and short white hair began hovering down, sporting a spiked halo and an elegant, almost saintly, white business suit. She seemed a bit dazed, like she had just woken up. 

"Ain't that... Ain't that the giant angel lady we saw earlier?" Vex whispered with a nervous smile. Iyu let out an annoyed groan, still keeping a friendly look on her face though. "The chimera was designed to seal her away while you dealt with her main body... Now she's awake."

"And uh... Who is this?" Vex asked with a confused smile as the angelic woman landed, letting out a nervous laugh as she tried to regain her composure. "Oh, hi! I'm Parfait. Parfait Vincula. Leader of Pandora's Melody." She said with a bow. 

Everyone froze up at the name, realising that they have once again crossed paths with a Vincula. Avis and Vinea were already backing away as Parfait gave a confused smile before her face fell into shock and sadness at the sight of her heroes becoming a chimera. She rushed over to her protectors, stroking the remains of it split head. 

Everyone present could feel a radiant light beginning to seep through the feather, feeling like a horrid burning to Ven, Mementis and Moria, who all quickly retreated behind Iyu, who seemed immune to it. 

"Who did this?" She asked in a soft, comforting voice as the chimera used its Tail to point to everyone. "Thank you... You have all served me well. Rest easy. I'll see you all one day." She smiled before snapping her fingers, summoning a beam of light that instantly disintegrated the chimera's body painlessly. She slowly stood up, her body submerged in light as she faced the group with a scowl, causing Iyu to sigh.

She unzipped herself and pulled out a phone, making a call as Parfait slowly began approaching. "Splice. The siblings destroyed the chimera. Yes. Parfait is approaching. Should I account for plan A, Z or D? Plan D? Okay. It has been an honour serving you." Iyu said before hanging up the phone and breaking her phone. "Everyone. Please prepare for transference. I will be there shortly." 

She quickly unzipped herself fully, revealing nothing but a hollow void of a body that quickly dragged everyone inside with tentacles. Parfait began charging at Iyu, but was quickly stopped by Mementis and Moria together. Ven looked at them with confusion. "Hurry up, you two!"

The duo couldn't help but laugh, waving him away dismissively. "We don't plan on leaving here alive." Moria smirked. "Death has been... really boring. And well, what better way to die then fighting our own god?" Mementis smirked, shoving Parfait back.

Iyu quickly grabbed Ven, dragging him inside, but not before he heard the final words he always expected of these two;

"Remember Death!" They yelled with laughter before charging for Parfait.