Haunted Soul
Everything was dead. The soil, the trees, even the air was stink with death. In the middle of this wasteland, like a huge thorn rose out a black tower. Around the top greed, poisonous cloud encircled, pouring it's deadly gases over the land below.
"What a sad place..." sighed a female voice as two person approached to the tower horseback. "Better if we finish it fast or we will get sick either." it was a pretty bat girl sitting behind a taller, orange, rabbit-like male. Both of them wore warm leather cloths, and a big hat covered the man's head.
"I understand your worry, mew dear." he nodded . The girl noticed a serious expression hiding under the hat. As they went closer to the building, the horse shook it's head scared and stopped. "It's okay pal." the male tried to calm the stallion "Better if we continue on foot." then he said and hopped down, helping off the female.
The pair, Lilliac and Zenox took a deep breath and they went to the main entrance, aware of anything they should find inside. To encourage the other they hold hands. It's been ages ago they met again and staid together, over many happiness and sadness.
"You should stay outside, mew." told her Zenox.
"No way." snapped back Lilliac "I followed you to this damned place, so I must go with you inside." hold his hand tighter. The cabbit rubbed his ear awkwardly and let out a mew.
"Okay, mew, okay. You won." the bat grinned a little and kissed him softly.
"No worry. I'm a tough girl, you know it just well."
"I-okay..." nodded Zenox "Let's do it." sighed and kicked the door open. The wood fell down with a rumble and they entered.
The first thing that 'greeted' them was the smell coming from many unknown thing I not want to describe. From the dark corners, from each piece of this cursed place voices sounded: whines, screams, cries, begs, even mad chuckles and snarls. On the left spiral stone stairs led up in this 'Dante's Hell'. Lilliac and Zenox placed their free hands onto their swords and began to walk upstairs. The first two level contained huge stores, with tons of cages and indescribable creatures. The sight almost made them vomit, so they quickly continued their way.
"How he can be this evil...?" muttered Lilliac with pale cheek. Zenox, to reassure the girl kindly hugged hugged her shoulder with one hand.
"After we finish him mew, we will give rest to these souls too, mew." he said. The bat nodded and showed him a weak smile. After this level their travel became more difficult.
Behind a corner strange, human-like creatures appeared. They were similar to zombies, puppets of flesh that had different parts sew together. Zenox immediately slashed them with his blazing sword, Lilliac rushed close behind him and killed those the cabbit couldn't burn to ashes.. In this slower way, but without any big effort they finally reached the top of the tower. A bigger iron door blocked their path.
"Allow me, mew." stepped ahead Zenox and kicked once again. The metal banged, like a bell, but hold still. The only reaction was the cabbit's whine, when the pain arrived into his leg. He jumped on one feet, holding the other as he cursed and mewed. Lilliac grimaced with sympathy, then stepped closer to the door and pulled it a little to her.
"Ehm, sweety... the foor opens when you pull. Sometimes use your paw instead of feet." chuckled a little the bat girl. Zenox grumbled under his nose but entered alongside with the female. The moment of joy immediately vanished when they stepped into the last chamber.
Seemed they found the main laboratory. All around the room huge machines beeped, glass containers were filled with bizarre subjects, organs and creatures. The smell here was almost unbearable, the clouds outside gave a green grim-light reflecting on the surfaces. Only a few lamp lit up the chamber.
"Seems my creatures were a waste of time." sounded a voice from the other side of the room. The other two immediately turned that way with weapons ready.
"This is the end Faust!" shouted Zenox with anger "You must atone your sins, mew!"
"Oh really?" chuckled the mad scientist "And what exactly my sins are?"
"Too many to describe them!" frowned Lilliac "Now surrender!"
"I don't think you're in that situation to threaten me. You might destroyed my homunculuses, but haven't see my joker yet. If you kill it, then maybe... maybe I surrender."
"What? Don't joke with us mew!" Zenox made a step closer.
"Oh no-no, dear demon slayer. I never joke." said Faust on a disgusting, kind voice and pushed a button. Next to him a small tube appeared that glowed with pale blue light. They couldn't see what is inside, because it was covered with machines and tendrils. The scientist used another buttons, whereof a mechanical door opened in the dark side of the room, where the light couldn't reach. Then they heard a clank, then slow, soft steps. Something approached. Lilliac and Zenox hold out their swords, but a few seconds later they both let out a gasp in shock. From the shadows first a bare foot stepped out, followed by a thing body and a horribly familiar face. Metal shone up in the artificial light.
"What the..." Zenox's eyes widened, Lilliac muffled a scream with her hands.
In front of them a blue, female cat stood, someone they knew from the past. Part of her clothes were ragged and covered with dry blood. Her chest was missing, just a dark hole covered with her tie and shirt, ribs peeked out from under the cloth. To her arms human sized, sharp scythes were attached. Cables were connected to the most part of her body. The tail was materialized smoke. She stared at the 'enemy' with half opened, blind eyes. Faust, noticing the slayers' reaction chuckled again.
"Cute, isn't she? It wasn't easy to kill her, but I always get what I need hahaha!"
"Zenox... is she...?" stammered Lilliac, her shoulders trembled in recognition.
"I... I think yes, mew..." rattled Zenox.
"Hmm? Maybe you know my subject?" tilted his head the mad scientist curiously "A friend? Or she was a toy for you too?"
"She's not an object!" shouted the bat, her shock now changed place with fury.
"Now yes it is. Kill them Huntress!" ordered Faust. The cat stretched her legs and leaped forward on high speed. The others needed to jump aside, not to being slashed by the huge scythes. In his roll Zenox pulled out his gun and fired at the head of the creature. The shots cut her movement for a second or two.
"You must wake up! Molly!" Lilliac tried to talk with the female, but answering she got only hisses.
"She's not a human anymore, mew." told her Zenox, avoiding a scythe with his sword "We must kill her!"
Lilliac wanted to answer, but the cabbit was right. The person they knew is no longer exist. There's only a soul-less body they have to destroy. The bat let out a sharp,sad sigh and nodded.
"You're right. Let's finish her." she muttered, readying her weapon too.
On the other side the twisted creature extended her claws before she charged the duo. When she got close enough she split the scythes with great strength. They bounced away. On the place Lilliac and Zenox stood a moment ago was now torn by two huge rupture the Huntress's attack caused. Zenox not hesitated, he swung forward with blazing sword in the hand and jabbed. There sounded a snap, his weapon was blocked by one scythe. Molly stared upon him with her blank eyes, full with blood thirst.
"Nghh... she's strong, mew..." groaned the slayer struggling against the homunculus "If I just... touch the body once..."
"I help you." Lilliac attacked from the other side, trying to distract the Huntress. With the other scythe she tossed away the female and jumped behind.
"Haha what a great show!" laughed Faust in the safe distant "Good timing to test my subject before I use her for my plans."
"Shut up you psycho, you'll be next I kill mew!" snarled Zenox as he rapidly slashed his sword, searching for weak points on the undead.
The Huntress was fast, leaned away from his jabs and cuts, riposting with heavy assaults. The cabbit then changed technique. He pulled out a whip from his belt and snapped it. The leather wrapped around the cat's hand and he yanked hard. The Huntress tottered, Zenox leaped forward and stung. His sword cut her cheek and a tendril, the wound blazed up. The cat groaned and rolled aside, seemed she sensed the pain, but didn't care about that.
"Stop playing and kill him!" shouted the mad scientist to his creature.
"No if we stop you first!" yelled back Lilliac. While Zenox fought with the homunculus she flew toward Faust. In mid air she took a deep breath and let out a pitch high, ultrasound scream. The waves shook the equipments, every living being covered their ears with a painfull grimace.
"Shut up, you wretched female! Shut up or..." Faust's voice was cut when he heard a sudden crack. One of the computers began to buzz and sparkle, followed by the other machines. By the screech glasses crushed and blew into smithereens. Even the small tube next to Faust zapped. The Huntress tottered and twitched.
"Take this!" Zenox took advantage and stabbed the sword right between the eyes. Molly let out a little moan, before her body burnt up and turned into ashes.
"No, no, NOOOO!" roared the scientist, around them the whole tower trembled, the machines sparkled more violently "My research! My perfect subject!"
"This is the end Faust mew!" aimed his weapon Zenox once again.
"Just you think. This is not the last time you hear about me!" sneered the psycho, and jumped out the window. The cabbit rushed there and saw Faust landing on a winged homunculus, flying away from the tower. The male cursed and hit that handrail.
"Zen! We must get out of here. This place can't take long and explode in any moment!" shouted through the noise Lilliac. Zenox glanced behind then nodded and they also jumped out. The cabbit immediately reached after the bat, folding his arms around her waist. Lilliac opened her wings and they carefully glided away from the laboratory. A few moments later they heard a loud explosion from behind and debris rain near the duo. They landed in safe distant and watched as the burning tower collapse down with great rumble.
"He escaped?" asked on low voice Lilliac. Zenox placed a hand onto her shoulder and mewed a yes. The bat bit her lips in agony "That bastard. Poor Molly..."
"S...someone said my name?" they suddenly heard a weak voice nearby. On the ground they noticed a small, destroyed tube Faust used. It contained a burnt heart, that sparkled before also became ash. From the sparkle a white, half transparent figure came out "Oh my head..." moaned the ghost, hugging the head. It had feminine shape, without legs, ended in a long tail. It wore goggles, vest and shirt, and big gloves on the hands. Lilliac and Zenox glared at the spirit shocked.
"M...Molly?" muttered the bat, hardly spelling the name. The cat let off her head, ears twitched and turned to see who's calling. Her eyes met with the couple's, at first confused, like she never met them. Then, as a small lamp lit up in her mind, the eyes grew wide in recognition.
"Oh god..." her voice trembled behind her hands. Then with a sudden, loud shout jumped at the duo, hugging them tight. By the cold rush they grimaced but hugged back the spirit. "I can't believe it. I thought I never... see you again." sniffed Molly "Forgive me guys. I wanted to see you but the Queen forbid me and..."
"Hey, hey, slow down a bit, mew." moaned Zenox, wiggling out from her grasp "What happened with you?"
"Yeah, last time we were only kids, and now you're..." Lilliac had difficulties to tell the word.
"...dead?" finished Molly sadly "Indeed I am. That bastard Faust and his vermin brigade attacked my home and killed me when I didn't tell him secrets..." her eyes grew bigger again in shock "Oh no... Ivy! Where is Ivy? Is she alright?" she flew a bit further panicked.
"Who is that Ivy?" raised a confused brow Lilliac.
"My daughter." she didn't expect the reaction the couple answered.
"WHAT?" they shouted at the same time. The spirit twitched, then turned back awkwardly rubbing her head.
"Okay girl. You must sit and explain us what the heck just happened!" stated Lilliac,folding her arms in front of her chest.
"Fine, then you also tell your story." sighed Molly and they settled onto a trunk "I try to be short and tell everything I remember. So... Since our first meet the Queen forbid me to accompany her. Instead of I was trained to be her Hunter and heart deliver- I was a successful killer... until one of my prey changed my life..."
"That was Count Mickey, right?" interrupted Lilliac "We heard the story but had no clue it was you."
"I was stupid, but then I changed. I wanted to live. Traveled across the continent and..." her cheek got a little pink color as a blush "In a quiet small pub I met with a male. I not remember the details but it was the most sensual night I ever had..." sighed, then noticed the others reddened "Oh sorry, I was carried away khmm... so... the 'romance' not kept long. The following morning he disappeared and, next I realized I became pregnant. I settled down in a quiet village and gave birth to a beautiful girl." Molly's voice turned sad by the memory "We lived together in happiness, but then... a few years ago... they attacked. I only had time to take Ivy in safety... I.. ngh... everything is so blurry since that... I'm sorry. I not remember more."
Lilliac and Zenox changed a look with each other, then the bat crawled closer, placing a hand onto the spirit's shoulder.
"Gosh, you went through many things, mew." scratched his beard the male.
"I not really care what happened with me, but how my daughter is. Is she alright? Oh dear, she must be so scared... My little pearl..." bit her bottom-lips Molly.
"I'm sure she's just fine." tried to reassure her Lilliac "How old is she?"
"I don't know... She was only eight when I was... and I have no clue how many years passed..."
"You still can find her mew." stated Zenox "Without body it's much easier to travel."
"I...I'll give it a try." Molly slowly raised her eyes at her friends "And what about you two? As I see you together I have the intention..." she stopped when she noticed a little blush on both person's cheek "...no...way! It's true? You two are..."
"Hehe yeah mew..." rubbed his head awkwardly the cabbit.
"We're a couple for a while now." muttered Lilliac with red face.
"Wow... I mean how...?" they glanced at each other before the bat girl started to explain.
"You know, you weren't the only one 'grounded'. The adults got angry by that incident and we never participated on the meeting."
"Time passed mew, we had our own business, mew." Zenox continued the story "I became a demon slayer mew and got a mission from the church to kill some vampires mew. I did what they ordered, went to the right location... It was a really great surprise when I recognized one of my target was a friend, mew."
"It was shocking for me too, but also funny." chuckled Lilliac next to him "Especially when you gazed at me." the cabbit mewed and turned red. The female giggled and kissed his cheek "And since that day we're together, right?"
"Y-yeah mew..." mumbled Zenox agreeing. Molly smiled a little.
"Good to hear at least you're fine. Well..." rose up the spirit "Better if I go. Thank you again for saving me, my friends."
"Really you can't stay, mew?" asked Zenox, they also stood up. Molly slowly shook her head.
"I'm sorry, I'd really like to, but I can't. If you once meet my daughter... please tell her I'm fine."
"Sure thing. Hope we meet again." smiled softly Lilliac. The spirit nodded, then waved goodbye and flew away.
"Better if we go either." suggested Zenox, folding a hand around his girlfriend's shoulder. Lilliac bowed her head a little and they also left this cursed land behind.
End