Chereads / The Deathbearer Chronicle / Chapter 14 - Tiresome Encounters / Church of the Damned

Chapter 14 - Tiresome Encounters / Church of the Damned

"What.. do you MEAN there are no quests for a frozen dungeon?"

"Sir, for the eighth time, we don't have any exploration quests for this 'Frozen' dungeon you speak of." The lady in glasses says from behind the front desk, looking at me like some alchemic addicted hooligan.

"Double check."

"Sir."

"Please please please please please-"

"Sir, please."

"Please please please plea-"

"Sir."

"Yeah?"

She points behind me and onto the huge line of adventurers that have gathered there over the course of my begging.

"Alright, you win this time. But the next time I come back, I will get political. You best be ready." I turn away and start heading towards the exit as everyone in the line looks at me with malice.

What's their problem anyway? I've only been here for like thirty minutes.

I step back out into the cold Kingdom streets in disappointment.

After my little talk with Mandelyn about an hour ago, she told me to seek the guild if I wanted to find the frozen dungeon, as the guild has a couple of dungeon exploration quests that haven't been touched in ages. 

And that's probably because those that attempt them rarely come back.

Which sounds like a skill issue.

Sadly, the exploration quest I was looking for was nowhere to be seen, and I now find myself at an impasse.

At least I was treated to some hot chocolate thanks to my efforts of getting the Philosopher stone's location from the schizo.

He should really get some sleep.

Of course I also asked Mandalyn where this 'Beryl Valley' was. But she didn't have a clue, as the only parts of Azula she does know are the inner snowfields and the area that surrounds the Kingdom. She also offered to send a group with me to explore the dungeon, but I turned her down since I've had poor experiences in dungeon crawling with a squad in games.

They would always somehow find a way to get me killed.

I start walking down the snow-covered streets, thinking of a possible way of locating this dungeon, when something catches my eye.

I look at a girl pasting a poster onto the wall of a church.

-------------WANTED----------------

 'Mr. Denmark' 

 -Murder

 -Destruction of Ragnav Castle

-Distribution of Forbidden Alchemical compounds

------------------------------------------

It also has a sketch of a man in a top hat and mustache.

Is that really what I look like?

I think they could have made the mustache look more stylish.

"Hmm..." I lean forward, my hand on my chin as I study this sketch way more than any math test.

"Oh, hello." The girl says next to me, watching me stare at a slip of paper mounted on the wall of some church out in the cold. "You know this guy?" 

I turn to look at her.

For some strange reason I won't bother on solving, she's wearing a white mask with a smiley face, long dark hair with short twin tails in pink bows, a long black coat with an outfit that looks like a combination of a school and military uniform, and a red skirt. And she's about the same height as Yukki.

Is she not cold exposing her legs like that?

"No not really, he's quite the looker though." I turn back to look at the poster.

"Hmm.." She leans forward, her mask almost touching my ear. "You look like you've seen him.." She grabs onto her mask and slides it halfway down her face, revealing her pale purple irises, which have dark spirals. "Hey mister.. did you know.. you have the aura of a murderer?" She digs her eyes into mine.

God DAMN IT.

Just how many more people will I continue to creep out because of my pitiful awkward loser energy?

I'm skipping introductions and getting out of here.

"Do I? Well that's one way to ruin the vibe, yo." 

"Hm?" She continues to stare at me with a blank expression.

"Cya." I turn away.

I didn't know word spread this quick across this land, and this 'Mr. Denmark' guy sounds like trouble.

Better stay away from him.

"Hey, mister." She walks in front of me. "You talk funny." She puts her mask back on. "What is a 'Yo', huh?"

Not this again.

I'm starting to get flashbacks to my first meeting with the other smug brat in twin tails.

What exactly is "Funny" about the way I replied to her?

And why does she keep calling me 'Mister'? She's as short as Yukki, so I'm guessing they're the same age, which I am also the same age as her.

"Hey can you not call me that? It's just really weird." 

"Hmm.." She moves her arms behind her, intertwining her fingers. "Mister mister mister mister mister."

"Alright." I walk past her. 

I'm not having this.

My shoulder then gets poked, and I turn around ready to yell at this annoying creature, but there's no one there.

"Mister.." I turn back around, and there she is, her finger placed on the smiling line on her mask in a giggling motion. "HyuHyu~ You look like you're looking for something, let me help you..."

"No." I walk past her.

She then walks beside me, looking up at me as she follows.

"What are you doing."

"Let me help you, mister." 

"I said no."

"Miste-"

"Stop calling me that."

"Mister mister mister."

"Stop it."

"Mister mister mister miste-"

"S-stop i-"

"Mister~ Mister~ Mister~ Mister~"

"St-"

"Mister~ Mister~ Mister~"

"STOP IT."

"..."

We look at each other, motionless as we stand in the middle of the snowy bricked street, snowflakes falling onto our hair.

"Mister I'm bored."

"Gnarly, buzz off."

"Mister what's a 'Gnarly'?

"It means scram before I lose my sh-"

"Mister I'm cold."

"Then start wearing something warmer, or better yet, go find somewhere warm. Away from here."

"But mister, then you'll be all alone."

"That's the point."

"But mister, being alone is boring."

"Not for me."

"Mister you're really weird."

"It's how I live."

"Mister I'm really bored."

"I told you to buzz o-"

"But mister, being alone is boring."

"We've been over thi-"

"Mister I'm still cold."

"I TOLD YOU TO GO SOMEWHERE WAR-"

"But I don't want to go alone mister."

"..."

I stare at her, trying to find out why I've tolerated her for this long.

I don't think there's getting rid of this thing until I carry out her interaction event.

"Yes mister? What is it?"

"Let's go somewhere warm."

"Okay~"

I wonder how different this route would have gone if I just went with that Tohdsen nerd.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

A while ago...

"T-this way, watch your step." Tohdsen stumbles, his glasses shuffling on his face as he walks over the many scattered books and lab equipment.

"Geez, Tohdsen! We told you to keep your station clean!" Kanon tiptoes around the books, careful not to step on anything important or tripping.

"Don't bother, he'll never learn." Lillia says, walking and stepping over the books and not caring where her feet end up.

"HYAA!"  Yukki trips and falls, landing on a pile of papers. 

"Haah.. again?" Rin walks in just behind her, looking down at her with no reaction. "I really am convinced your little imp head lacks awareness." She says, walking into the room and scanning it.

Tohdsen lights a small candle in the center of the room, its blue flame then scattering and lighting up the lamps around the room.

They find themselves in a medium sized room with shelfs scattered across the brick walls, various potion bottles mounted on the shelves, and various rows of bookshelves, as well as a billboard at the far end of the room with an illustration depicting a strange humanoid creature with its appendages stretched and its head replaced with tendrils, along with drawings of strange plants and DNA icons.

"The heck is this? You on some sort of alchemy when you drew this? Hah Tohdsen?" Kanon studies the billboard, looking at the illustrations only a mad scientist would have the IQ of drawing.

"I assure you, no kind of 'Alchemy' would enable anyone to see something so... perplexing.." He stands beside Kanon, looking at the illustration. "I saw it with my own eyes.. a creature.. no, a monster.."

"Tohdsen, the entire world is plagued with monsters, you dummy. What is it about this 'Monster' that sets it apart from the rest of the things that threaten all of humanity? Huh?" Lillia stands next to Kanon, looking at the billboard.

Rin and Yukki join in, looking at the billboard in intrigue.

"Because, Lillia.. the difference with this creature.. compared to any other monster from the desolate wilderness.." He pauses, then continues. "You have to remember that this.." He places his finger on the drawing. "This was once human. A human with a life, possibly a family, with ambitions and dreams."

"What? A human?" Lillia looks at the drawing briefly. "This ugly thing is a human? Are you sure you're not on any alchemy? There's just no way that's a human..hahah.." She laughs nervously, unease slowly creeping into her mind the more she thinks about this abomination once living the life of a human.

"No, Lillia." Tohdsen looks at her, a look of distress on his face. "Perhaps this will convince you." He walks over to the other side of the room, then opening a curtain, revealing a separate small room with a man hunched on the ground against the wall.

"Uhh..you keeping prisoners now, Tohdsen? Does the Supreme Sorceress know?" Kanon walks over, looking at the man on the ground.

"Why do you have a person sitting in a room like this? Are you experimenting with human lives?" Rin asks in confused shock, arms crossed.

"That isn't a human." Tohdsen approaches, holding a caged rat in his hands.

The man slowly stands up, then slowly stumbles towards them before recoiling back as if he walked into a wall.

"I have placed a transparent barrier, it cannot escape, rest assured." Tohdsen says, standing inches from the man.

"You still haven't answered my question, y'know?" Says Kanon, approaching and tapping her finger against the barrier.

She looks at the man's blank eyes, as if she is looking at a live corpse.

"Observe." Tohdsen kneels and places his finger on the wall, opening a small hole, then pulling the rat out of its cage.

"Aww~" Yukki stands next to him, the small creature looking back at her, oblivious to what is about to happen to its small furry body.

Tohdsen pushes the rat into the hole, then closing it and standing back up, before retrieving a clipboard.

The small mammal crawls into the room, squeaking as it takes in its surrounding.

"He's soo cute~ What's his name??" Yukki asks, watching lovingly as it crawls around the room, squeaking.

"Hm.." Tohdsen remains silent, knowing what is about to happen to the poor animal, having witnessed many fall to their gory demise.

They all stand there in silence, observing the man stumble across the room, his movements shaky.

*SHCCKL*

The man's head splits in multiple segments, his skin morphing, his flesh taking the shape of flower-like pedals around where his head should be, before he rapidly drops to the floor and digs its jaws on the rat, blood gushing everywhere.

"Ah-" Yukki stands motionless.

"W-wh.." Kanon looks at the monster devouring the small rat.

"I-is that.. was that really a human..?" Lillia shares the same unnerved expression.

"Afraid so." Tohdsen writes on his clipboard. "This.. 'monster', or should I say 'Parasite' inhabits the body of a living being, then slowly eats it from the inside, making its way to the brain and taking over its body. It will then look for any other living being to consume, as consuming allows it to-.."

The parasitic monster then begins puking, a small seed falls onto the ground, spreading its roots and slowly growing in size.

"Ahem.. consuming allows it to absorb nutrients and lay down 'Seeds' from which a.. 'Plant' will grow." He writes on his clipboard, before continuing. "If the plant grows to a certain stage, it will then spread 'Spores' across the area." He shows the clipboard to everyone, which has a sketch of strange circular plant with a chunky outer shell. "Once the spores make contact, it will form a seed similar to-..." He stops, then holds out his wand and firing a small magic arrow at the seed through the barrier, making the seed explode and releasing faint spores that slowly deteriorate into the air. "If the seed grows to the second stage, which is the plant you see in this sketch, the spores will have developed enough to create more seeds.. should they make contact to a surface.. or a human.." He clears his throat. "And from these flowers, small organisms that resemble worms will emerge, wandering until they find a host to infect, repeating the cycle."

*GRLRLR*

*THUMP*

The monster stumbles back after trying to lunge at Kanon and hitting the barrier.

"S-so.. there's a chance more of these.. m-monsters could show up?" Kanon asks, looking at the creature slowly stand up and repeatedly hit the barrier over and over as it tries to consume her flesh.

"I'm.. afraid its too late.." Tohdsen sets his clipboard down. "There's no telling just how much its spread, but these creatures have already started multiplying and spreading across outer Azula.."

"We have encountered one similar to this.. thing a little over two days ago at a cabin.." Rin says, looking at the creature lose brain matter from bashing its pedal-like appendages on the barrier.

"Is there no way of stopping these things?" Lillia asks, unnerved.

"When a host gets infected, they enter an early stage where they still have control over their body, albeit weakly. However, depending on the rate at which the parasite consumes its insides, the time it takes for them to lose control is difficult to say. It may take hours, or days. There is a possibility of infected humans wandering Azula as we speak, and is what worries me greatly." He pauses. "Once they enter the second stage, they lose consciousness, surrendering their body to the parasite. And once they enter the third stage, they are able to morph the host's body to bizarre proportions... and it is also in this stage that they are deemed.. dead." He pauses, then continues. "And in this stage, they become difficult, as they develop high regeneration properties."

"So can we kill them or not..?" Kanon continues looking at the creature, gurgling and clawing at the barrier.

"It is possible, but high effort will be needed." He circles around the room in thought. "I have a theory... a theory that an infected human's second stage can be reversed.."

"T-that's great!" Kanon looks back at him. "How?"

*WAM!*

The doors to the study room get bashed in as Maxwell barges in forcefully.

"IM HERE." He says, breathless.

Everyone looks at him catching his breath.

"And just where were you?" Rin crosses her arms.

"I got lost." Maxwell looks away in shame.

"Weren't you following close behind us? How'd you get lost?" Yukki smirks in confusion.

"I...Ahem don't mind the small details, for I am here now," He adjusts his elegant fedora gifted to him by his master.

"I saw him trip on the platform as we were leaving." Lillia says, twirling her long single braid.

"I-I had to wait for my leg to stop going numb! Would you have me walk around like a wounded warrior? Have you not shame!?" Maxwell then notices the parasitic monster clawing at the barrier behind Kanon. "Gasp Another one of these monsters!? I'll save you!" He draws his katana before charging full speed. "RAAAAAAAAH-" *THUNK*

He recoils backwards after making contact with the barrier, then slumping on the ground.

Everyone looks down at him on the ground, then shifting their attention back to Tohdsen.

"Ahem...It is only a theory... but a promising one." He walks over to the billboard, erasing its contents before raising his wand to draw on it with magic ink. "There is a type of.. 'Plant' that is highly volatile to infested genes." He draws a plant with seven long thin leaves. "I believe it has the necessary properties to put an end to Infested matter." He pauses briefly. "However... The research I have put onto this plant has been short, as the Facility I have established to study the Infestation out within the snowfields has become overrun after one of my associates dropped a vial containing mature spore matter, effectively spreading it across the Facility and infecting everyone. And as such.. I have been unable to retrieve the potential cure to the Infestation.." He puts his wand down.

"Wait... I know this plant!" Maxwell springs up and looks at the billboard. "Alek had one similar to this back at the carriage!"

"What? And where is this plant now?" Tohdsen looks at him with hopeful excitement.

"Uh.. my horse Ron ate it..."

"..."

The room falls silent.

"Ahem.. I need your help in reclaiming Facility-703, this may be our only way of putting a stop to the Infestation." He looks at everyone with a hopeful expression.

"R-really..? I don't mind helping you out if it means no more scary human monsters, Tohdsen... But i'm also kind of scared, Haha.." Kanon scratches her head nervously.

"We'll help you." Lillia says, bumping Kanon's shoulder.

"As will we." Rin looks behind her, ready to force Yukki to agree, but she is nowhere in sight. "Maxwell." She glares coldly towards Maxwell. "Where is Yukki." 

"Uh.." Maxwell feels a shiver go up his spine, as he hasn't gotten used to the cold gaze and tone Rin gives when she is seconds from losing her temper. "Ahem, she mentioned she was going out for a walk, she left about twelve seconds ago, I believe..." He adjusts the glasses that have slipped halfway down his face.

"..." Rin stands there in disbelief, before remembering the disappointment that comes out of Yukki is nothing new to her, then regaining her composure. "We will assist you on this matter." She glares at Maxwell, letting him know if he refuses, he will face her wrath.

"Excellent, all of you, Azula thanks you deeply." He bows, then straightening up and grabbing his things.

"Looks like we're all working together now!" Kanon gives a cheerful smile, hoisting up her magicraft rifle. "Let's all do our best in bringing these ugly freaks down!" She smiles deviously.

"Naturally." Rin crosses her arms.

"Duh." Lillia adjusts her braid.

"What'd you say about my mom!?" Maxwell yells at the creature clawing at the barrier.

"Maxwell, it is a monster, it cannot speak you idiot." Rin glares at him.

"You've probably misheard its gargles or something.." Kanon watches Maxwell bash the barrier repeatedly.

"Well then, we shall be off, this way." Tohdsen leads everyone out of the chamber and back through the corridor.

.

.

.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"Can you shut up for five minutes."

"But mister, I haven't told you the annoying part yet." 

"You are the annoying part."

"Gasp, mister.."

We've been sitting by the fireplace within the confines of an abandoned shack out in the middle of the snowfields, a pretty far way from the Azula Kingdom. And she's been telling me a bit about her childhood and what not. But I wasn't really paying attention, I've just been watching the fire and looking out the window and keeping my eyes peeled for any abominable snowman or any other snow creature ready to break in like they're thugs ready to make snuff films.

The only thing I faintly remember her mentioning is something about a 'Dream' and a 'Nightmare', but I pretty much forgot all about that.

"Why'd you bring us all the way out here anyway? We could've just went into a tavern or something."

"Because.. how else would I tell you about me without having people snooping around our business? Think mister, think." She says, her legs crossed as she is sitting on the tattered couch across from me. "I have maany secrets, and since I know you are just like me, I will tell you just one, okay?"

"What do you even mean by that? Me and you have a similarity? I think we couldn't be farther from the same, you're a pain in my ass."

"Hmm?" She stands up, then takes her mask off completely, digging her dark spirals into me. "Me and you." She approaches me by the window, then leaning forward. "We're murderers." She says with an expressionless face. 

"Nuh uh." How could she say that? I mean yeah I've killed a couple goons here and there, but I don't do it for fun.

Unless I'm farming for currency.

Still, I am in no way a serial killer.

"Yes huh, I can see it in your eyes, mister." She says, leaning closer.

"And just what do you see."

She gives a small smirk, her spirals looking right into me. "Emptiness."

"Thanks, you can shut up now." Like hell that's true. 

I've got dreams.

"You really are weird, mister." She backs away and walks back towards her seat. "I'm not even supposed to be here, y'know? I have a job."

"Good one. You? A job? Pftttt, where at?"

She puts her mask back on, then looks back at me. "Liquidation." She puts on her black coat.

What's the point in wearing a coat if you're gonna just let your bare legs hang out like that?

"Oh goody, what do you do? Kill insects?" I will admit, stepping on an ant as well as its nest is pretty enjoyable.

"Oh, you already know me too well in our small time together, mister." She walks over and pats my back. "I'm Akki, remember that, okay?" 

"No."

"Jerk." She walks out the door and onto the snow, then summoning a BIGASS black dragon before mounting it and waving at me as she flies off.

How do people even summon something that big? And how much brain storage to they have? Three petabytes?

 "Alek."

"Whoa! You scared me there. What is it?"

"I'm detecting an unusual amount of black magic right outside, go have a look, will you~?"

"What's in it for me?"

"Someone very interesting."

"No thanks. I've met enough people. I'm already having trouble remembering all the new characters so far."

"Do it or I'll come out and tickle you."

The snow cracks under my boots as I step out of the cabin and scan the surrounding flat snowfields and the few trees that are scattered across the land, as well has the white mountains off in the distance.

"Dude there's no one here. Get your radar checked."

"Mrrow~"

I look behind me and onto the roof of the cabin, which has a small black cat with a witch hat and a human skull hanging from its tip looking down at me.

"Oh great."

"Well hello there, Dysma. Was not expecting to see you again so soon."

"Mrreeow." The little black cat jumps off the roof and lands on my head. "So he's your new partner, huh? He seems wimpy." It starts to lightly claw at my hair. "Mrrrow~ So you're the dirtbag that threw a half eaten sandwich at me!"

"The FUCK you say to me you little shit?" I pull out my great sword from my hand and swing it over my head.

It jumps and lands on my sword. "Mreeow~ He's a little energetic, I like him."

"Right~? I have had soo much fun on our little adventures so far, not a single day goes by where I regret my decision, FuFu~"

"Lucifer what is this thing." 

"The Hexarax Manuscript. A tome written by the first witch to ever create black magic. Be nice to her okay~?"

"Mrrreow You can just call me Dysma." She licks on her paws as I hold her in front of my face by the fur on her back.

"I've always hated her!!"

"Oh hello there Astal. Still choosing to stay in that boring non-mobile form? That's hilarious, Nyahahaha~!" She licks on her paw again.

"Zip it pest! I don't need a mobile form when I have master to take me places! Right master~?"

"Probably."

"You lie, Astal. What happened to your human form? I haven't seen your cute bow in ages, go on, show Alek what you look like~"

"N-no..."

"And still a mess emotionally, you haven't changed much Astal." She jumps off my hand and back on my head. "Actually, you haven't changed at all Mreow~"

"How do the three of you actually know each other?" 

"Well, during my alliance with Felthoven thousands of years ago, there was actually a third member in our little group."

"My creator, The Witch of Sorrow." Dysma licks on her paw, again. "Hexra."

"She is one of the fragment holders."

"Frag- huh?" Oh boy, here we go.

"Oh, did I forget to mention the existence of an eight rune? Well, there was actually another rune, The Requiem Rune. Thousands of years ago, a 'Star' came from beyond the heavens and crash landed onto the mortal plain, scattering its six fragments."

"And? What 'Law' does this rune claim?" I hope I don't forget any of this, my brain is already packed to the max from all of Lucifer's lore dumping.

"Dunno!"

"Are you serious."

"Well.. more accurate to say it's unknown, as it came from beyond this world. However it shares the same properties as a rune, in which it can bind to a soul and lend its power."

"But what does it DO." Lord have mercy.

"It isn't clear, but.. Hexra is a holder of a Requiem Fragment. And from what I know, it is what allowed her to create black magic, as well as lend her power in the creation of the Philosopher's stone."

"Mreow~ And then she wrote me!" Dysma says, her tail wagging.

"Ah yes, the Hexarax Manuscript, she wrote you in order to archive everything she's learned from the Requiem Fragment."

"Ok sweet so why don't we just have her turn into her book form and read her insides?"

"Gasp Master!"

"Oh, you wouldn't defile me like that, would you? Nyah~"

"Huh."

"To read a magic book's contents is equivalent to seeing a woman in her undies, you little devil!"

"Are you for real."

"I'm kidding. In any case, no one has been able to decipher the Hexarax Manuscript's contents, as it is written in a language not from this world. Not even I am able to understand it's meanings.."

"My creator was quite the woman huh Lucy?" Dysma claws at my hair.

"Ok but where does Astal fit into your guy's earlier days?"

"My old master is actually the one that taught the Witch of Sorrow how to infuse a soul into her tome, haha.."

"And who's soul was it? Her daughter?" 

"Oh! Heaven's no! She has never had a partner in her sorrowful life FuFu~ It isn't entirely known who's soul she infused.. but I have a theory she infused a part of her soul into the manuscript, however she has always denied that claim, she truly was quite the woman~"

"I thought it was her sister?"

"Mreoww~ You guys come up with some fun theories." Dysma continues tangling my hair.

"Where is she anyway?"

"We parted ways shortly before my little rampage. She could be dead for all we know, hm? Her soul might be here in Limbo as we speak, who knows~?"

"So? What are you three doing out here?" Dysma asks, still playing with my hair like a little brat.

"Do you know where the Beryl Valley is?"

"The area near the site of the Arcane Rune's rampage? Mreow~ Why do you wanna go there?"

"The what?"

"I did find it a little odd the bearer of the Arcane rune hasn't mentioned the spot of her little mess."

"Stop talking in riddles and explain you blasted freaks of nature."

"Meow~ A while ago, the Kingdom of Alvara waged war against Azula for some weird reason Mreow~ And then the Supreme Sorceress used the power of the Arcane rune to form a Typhoon in the sky which created the Azure skies, and then a meteor of pure ice fell from the typhoon which struck the land in a huuuge explosion of snow." She scratches the back of her ears.

"Amazing, Fascinating. So where is the Beryl Valley? Tell me now, I'm cold." 

"It's actually near the unending snowstorm Mreeoow~" She licks her tail.

"Why not take us there, Dysma? It will also allow us to catch up~"

"Okay." She hops off my head and starts walking ahead. "This way Nyah~"

"Master.. don't let her get into your head with her annoying traits!"

"Oh~ What's this? The Astral Codex is afraid she'll get replaced by the Hexarax Manuscript~?"

"W-w-w-w-wh-"

"Mreow~ Hey! Keep up, Nya!"

.

.

.

/*/*//*/*//*/*//*/*//*/*//*/*//*/*//*/*//*/*//*/*//*/

The wind of the cold night pushes snow dust across the foggy land, the moon shines down onto the abandoned church out in the middle of the snowfields.

"We're here." Tohdsen whispers as he steps out of the carriage, holding a lamp spreading its golden light. "Welcome to Facility-703." He says, looking up at the giant church that has been abandoned for the past fifty years.

The two scholars and two knights of Luthran look up at the abandoned building, uncertainty in their gaze.

"Are.. Ahem.. Are you sure this is it, Tohdsen..?" Kanon asks. "You couldn't have picked a less.. aged building..?"

"This much shouldn't be surprising. Remember all the times we told him to keep his station clean?" Lillia follows behind as the group slowly make their way towards the ruined gates.

"I know it isn't.. the most proper of location.. But I had to make do, as I needed a space far from the Azula Kingdom to research the Infestation." He adjusts his glasses.

"It appears this facility of yours is vacant as far as I can see, are you certain it fell to the disgusting vermin?" Rin says, looking at the abandoned establishment from behind the gates.

"Perhaps our adversaries retreated." Maxwell nods. "There is no honor among monsters."

"The cellar is where most of infested activity should be, as that is where samples are stored. Come, lets proceed quickly." Tohdsen leads the group through the gates and towards the double church doors. "It goes without saying, but do not make a single sound, I believe any infested in the area should be in a dormant state. They tend to go inactive in the dark, as I believe the lack of sunlight strips a fraction of their energy. However they are very much still a threat if woken up." He lights a lamp next to the doors in a blue light before they slowly creak open, revealing a large lobby with a set of stairs to the left and right, a hallway to the right of the top of the stairs, and a hallway in the middle back of the lobby, as well as a ruined chandelier hanging just above, swinging with an eerie creak.

"So much blood everywhere..." Lillia looks at the various pools of dried blood across the pavement, as well as the various windows and doors that have had their boards ripped off.

"It seems they couldn't hold off." Tohdsen looks at the broken boards, before stopping everyone. "Now, listen, carefully, your lives are at stake with these creatures." He looks at everyone briefly, then resuming. "If you come into contact with any spore matter, you must wipe it off, at the quickest you are able to. If you delay for even a second, the spores will find their way through the fabric of your clothing and onto your skin, then digging into your bloodstream."

"H-huh?" Kanon has a shocked look.

"Let me finish. If the spores come into contact with your skin instead of your clothing, use this." He hands everyone a thin vial of blue liquid. "It is only an experimental compound, but I assure you, it will cleanse you of infection. You must splash it on yourself before the spores dig into your blood stream. If you delay..." He pauses. "And another matter, drink these now." He again hands everyone a vial of green liquid. "It serves as a temporary vaccine, it will allow you to inhale spore that has spread through the air without risk of infection. Drink them, now." He demands.

"Blegh! It smells like Lillia's morning breath!" Kanon flinches after removing its cap.

"W-wha.. J-just drink it!" Lillia opens hers and immediately downs its down, flinching. "O-oh my.."

"Ha! A warrior knows not to yield at the face of.." He plucks out his vial's cap, inhaling its scent. "Oh.." He almost drops his vial.

"Hmph. Have you two learned to not hesitate at-..." Rin inspects her vial closely, noting its chunky texture, then turning her gaze to Tohdsen drinking his. 

"Haah..COUGH..I assure you.. it's the only way.." He puts the empty vial away in his bag.

"That actually wasn't so bad." Maxwell puts away his, then looking at Rin and Kanon who are struggling not to vomit from the revolting taste. "You guys alright?"

*RgGrGr....*

*THUMP*

*THUMP*

Everyone stands in silence at the distant sounds of blood-gurgling echoes and faint footsteps across the empty church.

"Shhh..." Tohdsen raises his finger to his mouth, motioning everyone to remain absolutely still.

"..." The group quiet their breathing, anticipation of what may happen lingering in the air.

The sounds stop, the church engulfed in the darkness of the night returning to its usual pitch-black ambience.

"This way..." Tohdsen whispers, motioning everyone to follow him towards the doors in the middle back of the empty lobby. 

*CLICK* *CLICK*

"Damn.." Tohdsen attempts to twist the stone knobs, but to no avail.

"What is it?" Rin whispers, watching him continue to twist the knobs.

"Y-you didn't forget your key hah Tohdsen..?" Kanon asks nervously.

"I have forgotten.. the facility is on lockdown after the breach. We must restore power to disable the locks.." Tohdsen says, unease in his quiet voice.

"H-huh? W-what do you mean restore power..?" Lillia asks, tension in her voice.

"This facility is powered by the same energy that powers my study. I must relight the candle with my mana at the center of the church.." Tohdsen replies, his anxiety rising.

"Tohdsen. Why do you have a cumbersome lockdown system in this facility of yours... and one that relies on sorcery to function?" Rin asks, scanning the room for any signs of monsters that have silently found their way in.

"It was necessary to ensure the facility has constant security in the event of a.." He looks around the ruined lobby and the various dried blood pools. "..breach."

"So what the heck do we do??" Kanon fidgets with her magicraft rifle. 

Everyone looks at Tohdsen, tension rising, worry developing.

"There is nothing we can do without power. We need to proceed to the center stage.." Tohdsen slowly leads everyone up the stairs to the right, everyone follows slowly and quietly.

*CLINK*

"Uh..." Maxwell looks at the bronze ornament he accidentally knocked off the stair rails bounce down each of the stair steps.

*CLINK*

*CLINK*

*CLINK*

*CLINK*

Everyone looks back at him in shock.

"Oh no..." Tohdsen says in horror. "WE MUST GET TO THE CENTER STAGE! HURRY!" He bolts up, running up the stairs rapidly, almost tripping as he leads everyone down the hall to the right.

"HAAH! HAAH!" Kanon pants, attempting to keep up with the group with her small frame.

*TACK* *TACK*

The various boards across the windows and doors start to get ripped off, blood gurgles echoing from behind the barriers.

*RAGRRLRR*

"HURRY!" Tohdsen stumbles and dodges the various broken floor obstacles that have fallen from the ceiling. 

"Oh, for crying out loud, Maxwell!" Rin turns around and hurries towards Maxwell who tripped on a loose floorboard.

"Apologies! These blasted floorboards ar- HUH?!" His left arm gets grabbed by a bloodied hand emerging from a hole in the door to his left.

*SCHCKL*

Rin chops the hand with her rapier, then helping him stand up. "Stand this instant! Ugh! It's always the same with you!" She begins catching up to the group.

Maxwell looks over his shoulder and at the group of hands digging out from the various doors and boards across the hallway. "W-wait for me!" He picks up his fedora from the ground and begins running after the group.

"In here! Hurry!" Tohdsen stands by the doorway leading to the center stage, before casting a barrier onto it. "Hah..Hah.." He pants, catching his breath, before getting interrupted.

*THUNK* *THUNK*

The swarm of infested monsters pile up against the barrier, clawing and bashing onto it.

"T-the barrier won't hold! T-there's too many!" Tohdsen begins backing up, clutching onto his book.

*RIP* *RIP*

The boards to the windows begin to get ripped, several bloodied hands peek into the room.

"Kanon! Get the other window!" Lillia begins to reinforce the window to her left with thin wooden boards. "Hurry up!"

"B-but.." Kanon backs into a wall, visibly terrified at the sight of the many monsters attempting to break into the room. "I-im.."

"Do you want to die!? Do you want to get your insides eaten Kanon?! Pick up the dang boards and block the windows you little dummy! Now!" 

"O-okay..!!" Kanon picks up the scattered thin boards on the floor and begins to reinforce her window with shaky hands.

Rin raises her rapier and adds a second purple layer to Tohdsen's barrier. "I can't hold mine up for long, reinforce magic isn't my forte.." She looks over at Maxwell. "Do not." She glares at him as she watches him reach for his blindfold.

"Huh!" He complains.

*CRACK*

The barrier begins to show signs of cracking.

"God above... it is only a matter of time.." Tohdsen mutters the familiar words he heard on that night.

*CRACK* *CRACK*

"Ghh!" Rin recoils, her hands on her head.

"Rin!" Lillia looks over to her, a worried look on her face. "Put your barrier down! Your brain isn't suited for reinforcement magic! The excess mana usage will exhaust your brain!"

"I.. Ghhh.. I can't.. or we will.." She falls onto her knee.

"I-i'm all out of boards!" Kanon backs away and raises her magicraft rifle. 

"We'll just have to fight.. won't we?" Lillia pulls out her grimoire.

"It seems so." Maxwell reaches for his katana.

"Rin, put down the barrier. I can hold mine out for just a while longer." Tohdsen reaches into his bag and pulls out two potion bottles full of a glowing blue liquid, then handing one to Rin.

"Mana potions?" She uncaps it and begins drinking, then swallows. "Very well." She throws the empty bottle at a parasitic monster, the glass exploding into its face, then reaching for her rapier. "Do not disappoint me, Maxwell." 

"It saddens my warrior spirit to hear you doubt me, a Swordsworn, Rin.." He unsheathes his katana. "But if our lives are at stake, I will give it my all." He adjusts his fedora.

"Then.. this is our last stand.." Tohdsen casts a second barrier. "I can hold for about eight minutes.."

The group huddle together against each other's backs, facing every direction that is being torn open.

"If we make it out alive, you owe me five honey buns." Lillia looks over at Kanon.

"A-are you serious?! We're gonna die..!!" Kanon hugs her rifle.

"Silence!" Rin fires a purple magic arrow at a window, exploding the group of monsters. "You will owe no one nothing if we fall here." Rin glares at everyone. 

*CRCK*

The barrier begins to show more cracks.

.

.

.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

"I thought I told you the next time I saw you, I would feed your guts to Umbra, y'know?" 

"Oh boo~ Sorry you had to see me again, but I couldn't just let you run around and leave you to your own little devices sis.." Yukki says, sitting atop her ethereal frost dragon.

"You probably know this already, but I never liked you, Yukki." Akki says in an expressionless tone, looking up at Yukki from the snow mountain.

"Hah!? No way! How long have you felt this way my dear sister!?" Yukki replies, holding back a smirk.

"Your disgusting constant cheerful qualities were always something I could never stomach. You make me violently sick." A giant void black dragon head manifests from under Akki's feet, then rising and giving form to a dragon darker than the Abyssal Hollow. 

"Hmm~? You don't mean that...I even went out of my way to go see you when I got here.." Yukki stands up, looking into the black dots on her sister's smiley mask. "It just isn't fair, you know?" She summons a large glowing blue hammer, setting it aside and leaning against it. "Hiii Umbra~!" She waves.

"I do. I mean it with every fiber of my soul. I wasn't supposed to have that nightmare. I was never supposed to be the one everyone ridiculed. I was never supposed to be the one everyone avoided in the orphanage. I was never supposed to be your sister." 

"But it is still your fault mom died." Yukki picks up her hammer. "You're the one that killed her after all." Her smiles fades, making this the second time in her life she has had her smile get forcibly replaced by a thin line.

"You were always her favorite. The sight got sickening after a while, I just did what would help replace my delirium. But it never went away. You did this to me. And will never forgive you."

"And what about what you did to mom? Did she deserve it? Mom loved you just as much, she spent all her time teaching you how to smile, why to smile, and what it meant to be happy. Mom's love was equal, Akki. It wasn't her fault you were born without a smile. It wasn't her fault you went your life without smiling, you bird brain. You're the one that doesn't deserve anyone's forgiveness. Not even dad's forgiveness."

The lich dragon and the Frost dragon face each other.

Both sisters look into each other's faces.

*ROOOOAAAAAAARGH*

The two dragons rapidly soar towards each other, their heads making an explosive impact.

Yukki jumps from her blue dragon and onto Akki's lich dragon.

Akki pulls out a large butcher's blade from her coat, then blocks Yukki's hammer swing.

*CLING*

The two armaments meet, the shockwave of Yukki's frost hammer causing Akki's smiley mask to shatter, revealing her dark spirals that are digging into Yukki's pink eyes, as well as the small smile forming on her lips.

"Heh.. so you can smile.." Yukki wipes the blood dripping from her lips, then looks down onto the thin spike erected from Akki's dragon that impaled her shoulder "Shame it only happens when you bring pain to others.. you really suck, y'know~?" She frees herself and jumps back.

"Ehehe~hehe.." Akki covers her mouth in a giggle. "But we're not done yet.." She summons a swarm of burning butterflies, their flame wings leaving a fiery trail as they launch towards Yukki.

Yukki summons a pack of water goose that shoot out a gust of water, extinguishing the flaming butterflies before summoning an abominable snowman and mounting it, then leaping onto Akki.

"So sloww.." Akki summons a manticore, avoiding the slam, then flying into the air and throwing a fireball towards her.

Yukki's snowman grabs onto the fireball, blocking it as it explodes in a thick cloud of smoke. "Cough- Cough- Hey! No throwing thin- Yikes!!" Yukki's mount leaps back onto her blue dragon, avoiding a volley of fireballs that explode at her previous spot.

*ROOOOOOOOARG*

Akki's lich dragon fires a stream of dark flames at her.

"Uh oh!" Yukki de-manifests her snowman and dragon, then summons a griffin and mounts it before flying into the air. "Hey! You almost burnt Stickers to ashes!" She flies up and soars towards Akki.

Akki's manticore lunges its snake tail onto her griffin, biting into its neck and holding it in place. "Stay still for me." Akki swings her large butcher knife, slicing off the griffin's head and causing it to disappear, dropping Yukki.

"You're playing dirty!!" Yukki drops onto her blue dragon that manifested below her.

*ROOAAAAAAGHH*

Her frost dragon releases a torrent of absolute freeze flames at Akki.

"Eh~hehehehehe~" Akki giggles, dropping off her manticore that evaporates from the ice flames and onto Yukki's blue dragon, then swings her giant butcher's knife. 

*CLINK!*

The shockwave from Yukki's pure ice hammer causes Akki to stumble slightly. "So annoying.." *KICK*

Yukki gets pushed back. "Hey! Owww!" She rubs her chest where she's been kicked

*FwOOoOOGH*

Akki's lich dragon flies by from above and shoots a torrent of black flames onto Akki's butcher blade, coating it in black fire. "Now we can have some fun~" She rapidly lunges forward.

*PWSHING*

Yukki's ice hammer shatters into pieces after a single block.

"Hey!!" She summons another ice hammer. "I don't have that many! Don't do that!!"

*PWSHINNG*

Her second hammer breaks again, sending ice shards at every direction.

Akki licks the blood dripping from the small scratches on her face from the result of the ice shards hitting her. "Hm.. so that's what I taste like.." 

"Hngg!!" Yukki audibly pouts. "I'm sick of you!!" Yukki summons an ice morning star, then swinging the chained spiked ball at every direction.

"Tch." Akki leaps backwards and retreats back onto her lich dragon.

"Sic her, Noodles!" Yukki shouts proudly.

"Oh dang it." Akki looks up and onto the giant long frost asian dragon that manifested above her, charging its laser breath.

"Ah~ What lovely fun you seem to be having, Akki." Says a different voice.

Yukki looks down onto the man in a peaked cap standing below, watching. "It's about time we took our leave, do come this way. Now, preferably." He says, his hands joined behind him.

"Haah.." Akki sighs, then de-manifests her lich dragon and landing next to the man. "See ya." She follows the man onto a portal, before it closes.

"Uh.." Yukki looks up at her second giant summon. "GET US OUT OF HERE STICKERS!!" She panics, before they rapidly fly out of the area.

Yukki looks over her shoulder and onto the giant blue beam firing down onto the mountain, the clouds and the surrounding landscape lighting up in white, and the mountain getting ingulfed in its light.

"Heh.. I should probably stop the bleeding.." 

.

.

.

[_____________________________________]

"Master, I'm cold."

"Dude shut the f-... oh, my bad Astal. Spaced out for a sec there. I thought I was still with that one chick. You also brought an unwanted memory back."

"He hates you."

"I said keep up, Nya!"

[_____________________________________]