Chapter 10: Missing Girl
Gallows shook his head looking toward jet. "Ah, just give it up will ya? She has the upper hand on us when it comes to debating." I nodded to gallows because he had a point. "Do you have any leads to find out about his memories?" Clive asked still looking toward Virginia. But Virginia quickly turns the tables on him. "Do you have leads when you search for memories of Filgaia?" "We have to search for leads first, right?" "We're not going to find anything by sitting around." I watched Clive shake his head as a small smile appeared on his face.
"You are right…she does have the upper hand. Well then, what do we do now? Do we head for this dangerous ruin?" Clive asked looking around the table. Virginia placed a hand under her chin. "Hmmm…I haven't thought about that yet…" I shook my head a bit. "All right, how about this. We're free to choose whether we want to accept this mission or not." "So, we'll mosey on over to the ruins, and if it seems kinda risky, then we'll just head back. How about it?" I was surprised but it sounded like a good idea coming from gallows.
"Hey…yeah, you're right…let's just heading to the ruins. Remember, we're not taking any risks." I shook my head. Wasn't taking risks part of being a drifter? "Yeah, no risk! Let's just go out there have some fun, and make a fortune!" Gallows finished saying.
Then we left the saloon. But as soon as we got outside. "Opps…forgot to ask where the ruin is…" Virginia quickly ran back inside the saloon. I could feel a sweat drop roll down the back of my head. Then I heard Clive and gallows let out a laugh. "She so hopeless sometimes…" I whispered. "You got that right…" Jet whispered nodding to me. Then Virginia came running back out of the saloon.
"Hehe sorry about that…she said the ruins is location northwest of town…but she said it may have belonged to demon…" we all looked a bit surprised at Virginia. "Hmm…maybe we will find info about filgaia's past there…" Clive said placing a hand under his chin.
A grin slowly appeared on Virginia's face. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's start toward this ruin!" Virginia yelled quickly running outside of town. We all quickly shook are heads then we slowly followed her. After we started northwest from town; where this ruin was said to be location.
But before we got very far gallows started up again. "Where is this stupid ruin?" he asked looking around. I quickly glared at him as well did Jet. "W-what!" gallows yelled seeing two people glare at him. We both slowly shook are heads. And here I thought he wouldn't do this anymore; boy was I kidding my self.
Five minutes later we found the ruin. The ruin called 'The unclear Mark.' We all hoped off of the horses then quickly headed inside. It didn't look too bad. In the first room we're some Torches; Four of them and a long hallway to the next room. "Well, let us head into the next room to take a better look…" Clive said, we all nodded to him. In the next room we found a brown hair middle age woman walking around. She slowly walked up to us as we entered the middle of the room.
"Oh, valiant Drifters…would you please lead me a hand?" "Beyond these doors lies a path to an ancient artifact. Would you be so kind as to lead the way?" The woman asked looking around the group. But before anyone could say anything; Gallows said something for us. "Anything to help a lady in need, miss!" Gallows said with a big grin.
A slowly shook my head and so did Jet. "He will hit on anything with two legs, huh…?" I whispered to jet. He slowly nodded. "Looks that way…" He whispered back to me. "Hold your horses!" Virginia yelled toward gallows. "We need to hear more details first. This might be a mission we can't handle!" Virginia finished saying. Gallows slowly turned his face to look toward Virginia.
"You've got a point, there. But we all want to help people in need, right? Right?" Gallows asked looking around the group. I slowly closed my eyes shaking my head again. "Oh, jeez…A grown man with a soft spot for pretty woman…" Virginia said sighing to her self. Jet slowly placed a hand on top of his head. "And the ration able of a child…Easy to be taken advantage of." I nodded to the two of them; because they were right. But I was more so glad gallows wasn't going after me for the time being.
Gallows waved a hand toward Virginia and Jet. "Say what you want, kiddies. But I just want to be true to my self…" But gallows cut him self off then the woman headed over to Clive. "H-Hey…!" He yelled. "Would you mind explaining in detail the nature of your request?" Clive asked looking toward the woman. "What can we do for you, and what can you do for us?" Clive finished asking waiting for an answer.
It may have been just me; but I felt like they're something odd about this woman. I'm pretty sure it was just me thinking that. "Well…" the woman started to say. "Deep within these ruins lays a 'powerful artifact.' This ruin is in fact alive…" we all looked puzzled toward her. "'powerful artifact?'" Clive asked.
"It is some type of technology so ancient, it's rumored to have been created by demons. It is much too dangerous to fall into the hands of imprudent people. AH would like powerful drifters such as your selves; to get ride of it. Ah think that's the best way tot go about it." I gave her a questionable look. She sounded like she knew more then she was telling us. I was more then sure they're was something not right about her now.
"So in other words, you would like us to investigate theses ruins and find this powerful artifact. And our Reward would be to do as we please with it?" "That is indeed a strange request…why would…" But before Clive could say anymore gallows cut in. "Oh, c'mon…it's all good. I'm sure you're interested, too, if it's artifact-related, right?" Gallows asked holding a hand out in front of him.
"Well…yes…but…" Gallows and Clive turned to look toward Virginia. Me and jet slowly looked toward her as well. "You did say we're free to choose whether we want to accept this mission or not…" Virginia said holding a hand under her chin. Gallows started to rub his cheek. "Y-yeah, but…" He whispered.
"Fine. Let's do it." I was surprised to hear Virginia say that. But I was sure everyone was as well. "All right! I knew you'd accept. Leader! You can't just ignore people in need, you know?" Gallows said with a huge grin on his face.
Virginia slowly looked toward Clive. "I know what you're thinking…but the truth of the matter is, drifters have entered and have never come back. There is definitely something fishy going on…It might seem troublesome, but if we're needed, I think we should help." Clive slowly nodded to Virginia. "Understood. Let's be careful." Virginia nodded to Clive. Then we all looked toward the woman.
"You seem to be familiar with this ruin. Can you show us the way?" Virginia asked looking toward her. She slowly nodded and headed over to a lock door in front of us. Four triangular crystals were around the room pretty close to each other. "Hmm…that odd…I was sure the door was unlocked…" The woman said with her back to us.
Clive slowly head away from us and placed a bomb by each triangular crystal. They slowly lit up then the door opened. "Oh my! That right!" the woman said taking a hold of Clive's hand pulling him into the next room. "It's not fair…why does Clive get picked?" gallows asked with tears rolling down his cheeks.
Me and Jet slowly shook are heads. Jet slowly sighed 'As long as that woman doesn't touch me…I don't care...' he thought. Then he slowly looked over to Sara. 'Only one woman I like…for unknown…reasons…' he slowly shook his head getting those feeling out of his mind. "Well we should move on as well…" Virginia said quickly heading into the next room with gallows slowly following behind her.
"Come on jet…" I whispered head into the next room as well with jet following me. We headed down a bit of a hallway then into a door to the side. Then we headed into the middle of the next room. We saw a level on the far side of a long bridge. The woman quickly when and stood in front of the level. I then looked up to see two big like thing up in the air on both sides. "A trap…?" I whispered as Virginia and jet looked toward me.
We slowly stepped back a bit as well did Clive. But gallows was too busy staring at the woman. "Ah would like to help. Ah can't subject all of you to a precarious situation…" after the woman finished saying that. She pulled the level and the door opened. But the two metal things came together knocking gallows down a hole. "AHH!" He yelled. We all shook are heads watching him grab into a side trying to pull him self back up.
"Oh, how frightening…So, theses are the hidden traps of the ruins…Ah'm just relieved that y'all are all right…Ah'll have to watch mahself, as well…" the woman finished saying that heading for the now open door. "I'm not alright!" Gallows yelled toward us. "She acts like she didn't know it was there but…" I whispered as I saw Clive nod to me. "Yes, I believe she knew traps were in here…" Me and Virginia looked toward him.
"You see something odd about her as well…?" I asked only to get a nod again. "Yes so let us be very carefully…" We all nodded hearing gallows yell more. "Jet stops it!" We all turn to see jet was trying to make Gallows fall all the way into the hole. Can't really blame him; it a good idea. "Jet! Stop that!" Virginia yelled pulling him away from gallows; As Clive helped him back up. But as soon as he was back up; he ran for jet.
Yeah, he looked pretty angry. "What the hell we're you doing!" gallows yelled down toward Jet. "Well trying to make you fall that all…" Jet answered with a shrug. Virginia quickly steps in before anymore fighting started. "Stop it! We don't have time for your two fighting right now! That woman waiting for us!" Virginia yelled hurrying into the next room. Jet and gallows glared at each other then both stormed into the next room as well.
"So fun so far…" I whispered hearing Clive laugh a bit. "Well let's move on as well…" Clive whispered as I followed him into the next room. We head down another hallway then turned toward the left heading inside another door way. We head into the middle of the room to find a lock door in front of us. The woman looked puzzled at the locked door. "Huh…the level should be around here…" She said looking around by the door.
I could see a small crystal like switch a bit away from us. But they're no way to hit it from where we're. Then I saw jet look at it. HE slowly nodded throwing his boomerang at the wall. I watched the boomerang fall into the switch; then the door opened. I felt surprised. Why didn't I think of that? "Good job jet…" I said with a small smile. I watched him quickly look away from me. "W-whatever…" He whispered under his breath. We hurry over to the woman standing by the door.
"Ah I see. So that where it was. Let us move on now…" The woman quickly headed into the next room with us; slowly following behind her. As we entered we saw a huge bridge with a switch on it. But I wondered what the glowing water under the bridge was. "Ah do believe it is this switch that is keeping the door shut." The woman said she stopped right in front of the switch.
"What is that weird color water under the bridge?" I asked looking to Clive. "Poison I believe…" He answered me. 'great…' I thought. Jet slowly looked over to me. We slowly headed up to the woman. "It may be a dangerous trap like last time. Ah shall lead the way and make sure it is safe." She finished saying stepping into the switch. She slowly started toward the door. As she did the bridge started to give out.
"…!" Jet quickly turned his head seeing this. "Run!" he yelled. We quickly started running toward the door. The bridge kept giving away. I watched the others make it safely. And I though I did as well. But then I felt the last part of the bridge give out. I let out a scream starting to fall toward the poison water.
I closed my eyes waiting to hit the water. But at the last second I felt a hand grab into mine. "Sara!" A voice yelled. I looked up to find Jet there. He slowly started to pull me up. But as he pulled me all the way up. He lost his balance and fell into his back. And with my luck I fell on top of him.
"Ouch…" I slowly blink to find Jet staring at me; with a bright red face. I'm sure my face was just as about as red as his was. As he stared at me; I felt like I couldn't move. "S-Sara…" I could hear him whisper to me. I couldn't say anything. I just kept on looking at him. "Okay okay time to get up love birds!" I quickly looked up to find Virginia and gallows both grinning down toward us. I quickly rolled off of Jet.
I sat up still feeling warm on my face. I could hear giggling from Virginia and gallows. "Shut up!" I heard Jet yell at the both of them. They both quickly did so. I slowly turn to look at him. He looked back at me without saying a word. He then glared toward gallows. "W-what!" gallows yelled stepping back a bit.
"You alright, Sara?" Virginia asked kneeing down beside me. I slowly nodded to her. "Yes, I'm fine…" I answered her. But I felt weird. My heart had been racing when I was on top of jet for some reason. But why was it racing? We slowly got up and head over to the door where the woman was waiting. "Ah panicked made a run for it…Thank goodness y'all seem all right. Let us proceed…" With that she headed into the next room.
I'm still sure she knows of all the traps here. Just something about her I don't trust. We slowly followed her into the next room. It was just a long hallway with an open door in front of us after going down some stairs. We enter this door into the next room. A wall of huge blocks stood in are way; Then gallows found a switch on the ground. "I found something!" He yelled going over to step on it.
"Wait! Don't step on--!" but before Clive could finish; gallows had stepped into the switch. The blocks started moving toward us. We all had are mouths open staring in shock. Gallows started to run around in a circle. "The evil blocks are coming!" he yelled. I slowly shook my head. "He stills a kiddo as well…" jet nodded to me.
"Clive!" Virginia yelled. I turned back to find Clive running up to the blocks coming toward us. He quickly started placing lines of bombs in front of them. We all watched in surprised as one of the four blocks disappeared. We quickly moved to that open space. So not to be pushed off into the hole; Well everyone but gallows that is. He let out a yell as he fell into the hole. "Somebody save me!" He yelled holding into the side. I slowly looked to jet.
"Let him fall…" he whispered to me. Yeah, letting him fall was a good idea. But I knew Virginia would butt in soon. "Jet don't be so cold!" she yelled; only to get jet to roll his eyes at her. Virginia somehow helped Gallows back up. Clive slowly sighed looking around the group. "I hope that was the last trap…" Clive whispered to us.
We slowly nodded; then head over to the woman waiting for us. "Oh my! Ah, was worried that one wouldn't end well! Ah glad your alright!" the woman said head into the next room. Another long hallway; this time turns toward right; with an open door in front of us. We head inside to find 8 triangular crystals this time. Clive slowly nodded to us and then to work with his bombs.
He placed only four bombs. One bomb in the middle of each two triangular crystals; Then the door opened in front of us. I'm sure Clive really good at math like puzzle. But not me. I hate math! We head into the next room. Three high platforms stood in front of us. A small switch was close by. Jet hopped into some stairs to the right then threw his boomerang at the switch.
Then the platforms when down. We started over the first platform then the woman stopped us. "It looks like traps maybe ahead, ah will go to check it out…" we all looked puzzled as she quickly when ahead of us. We slowly started over the second one as a spear come from the side. "Ah!" I yelled about to get hit by it; but jet quickly pulled me out of the way in time. Boy does he watch out for me a lot. Doesn't he? Clive looked a bit worried. "How does, she always know where the traps are…?" He asked looking around. I wondered that my self.
"We should be ready for anything…" Virginia said. We all nodded to her. Then we hurry over the last platform. But the woman wasn't waiting there. "Hey? Where did she go?" gallows asked looking confused. I slowly looked toward Clive. He nodded to me. He knew something wasn't right as well. We hurry into the next room to find the woman waiting for us. We slowly headed up to her.
"What a beautiful gem…Beauty is the power that dominates all…Everything must be made beautiful, or else it is meaningless…Now, take the gem in your hands, Revel in its beauty and feel the pleasure of subjugation…" Something about her just speaking of beauty got to me. Jet shrugged and when for the gem only to get shocked by the machine.
"Ugh…!" he yelled falling into his knees. "Jet are you alright!" I cried looking worried toward him. He slowly nodded to me; as he got back into his feet again. "Ah'm so glad y'all are safe. Now, let's hurry. We're almost at the heart of the ruin where the artifact lies…" The woman said. How could she know this? Gallows started to move forward but Clive stops him.
"Is something the matter?" The woman asked looking toward us. "Isn't it about time you reveal what's behind the curtain? I don't think I can continue this any longer…" The woman started to laugh. "How did you see through my veil?" She asked Clive. Clive shrugged, "I don't have any particular reason. Instinct, I suppose…" The woman started to look angry toward Clive.
"Instinct? How Absurd! You mean to tell me I was found out by a silly little guess?" She yelled as a bright light surround the woman. Then her body fell to the floor as a robed woman came from her. "A Beauty spawned another beauty? Talk about doubling your pleasure!" Gallows yelled with a grin on his face.
Me and Virginia shook are heads toward gallows. "A clever disguise using the missing woman from little twister; But you have made one Fundamental mistake. You attempted to use beauty as your weapon, but the blade you wielded was too dull." I looked surprised to hear something like that out of Clive. "So, what is your point!" The robed woman yelled. "Your beauty is completely fake." We all looked surprised by Clive's words.
"How rude of you! What would you know about beauty?" the robed woman asked. "A woman's beauty can indeed be associated with strength. And so, you used it as your weapon. However, beauty is not all about physical appearance. A kind and tender heart…Beauty from the inside is what ultimately shines through. You are not as beautiful as you think." I watched as angry filled the robed woman eyes before us.
"I have a wife and daughter, I would be in great trouble if I were infatuated with another woman." We all stood back a bit hearing Clive say had had a family. "As long as no one is deceived by your outer beauty anyone can see right through you. You do not seem accustomed to deceiving others. I take it that you are not inherently evil?" Clive finished saying. "Enough of your mockery! How dare you resist me! I'll make you pay!" She yelled coming toward us. "I will not forgive you for trampling over my feelings or my Beauty!" The woman yelled toward Clive.
She casted Eliminate Scanner on Clive right away. Virginia then quickly cast protect on Clive; just helped a little bit. Then jet shoot at her. Gallows casted heal on Clive. And Clive shoots at her as well. The next turn she kept on attacking Clive out of angrier. Virginia shoot at her again; as well did Jet. Gallows casted heal on Clive again. And Clive casted Fragile on the woman lowing her defense.
After a round or two. Virginia did mystic with a heal berry on everyone. Then jet did Gatling on the woman; followed by Gallows healing Clive again. And then Clive did a Gatling finishing the woman off.
Then the robed woman fell. "N-No! Is this all my body can handle…?" She asked herself kneeing on the floor. She disappeared for a second then reappeared. "Panakeia is our blood…when turbid and stagmant is it not possible for me to teleport? Even still…I must obtain the Gemini Circuit!" "You would not dare shoot a hostage. This may be Tactless, But this is my only chance of escape…I shall emply you a little longer…" the robed woman quickly jumps inside the knocked out girl's body then run into the next room.
"You coward! That's so pathetic how you'd hide and shield your self behind a woman!" Virginia yelled. "Now, com back here!" Virginia quickly ran into the next room. "Virginia!" I yelled. We quickly ran after her. A long hallway stood in front of us. But no Virginia; "I'm sure she just when ahead…" Clive whispered to me. I slowly nodded to him.
"We should hurry on then." We quickly ran down the long hallway and inside the door at the end. When we enter the room we heard a voice. That we thought we would never hear again. "Hey, isn't it my duty to dispose of them? I Mean, you're just here to look for that artifact, so that you can complete your fortress or whatever." We stood in shock by who we saw with the robed woman.
"I appreciate your work ethic, but you try to handle things too much at once, that are why things don't work out for you. Right, sweetheart and princess?" we all kept staring in shock as the man turned to look at us. "Janus Cascade…You're…" Virginia said holding a hand over her mouth. How could he be alive? After all that?
"…Still alive? Surely you didn't think I was dead? And you're not looking at a ghost, either. But the thing is…" Janus started toward us as some rocks fell on top of him. "Janus…!" Virginia yelled. "My time has ended…" Janus said with a deeper voice.
"My body has been eroder by the dark spear against my will…So my previous body has been eaten away, but I've now been endowed with the body of a demon. I've done it. I've attained the power that surpassed all! The power to dominate all! And all I have to do is trigger an impulse within my body…" Janus said with a grin.
"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaagh! Like so!" he stood before us holding the dark spear. "U-ugh…" I whispered falling into my knees. "S-Sara…!" Jet yelled. But then he felt it too. "It's this sensation again! The mediums are trembling? It's as if thief uncontrollable fear is ready to jump out any second!" Virginia cried holding her shoulder. "They're afraid of Janus…No, they're afraid of what's inside of him…" Gallows whispered to Virginia. "They fear the dark spear…!" I whispered having trouble breathing.
"You all don't know how lucky you are. To be able to witness the power of demons in this day and age…" Janus said holding a hand in front of him. Janus ran toward us.
Virginia casted protects on her self. As jet and Clive both shoot at Janus. Gallows casted heal on everyone. After a round or two Jet did Gatling on Janus. Gallows healed everyone again; Clive did Galting on Janus as well. And Janus fell down. "There's a bit of a time lag between my actions and my thoughts. I still haven't fully adapted to my powers let…" Janus said looking at his hand.
The robed woman slowly walk up to Janus. "Janus! The removal of the 'Gemini Circuit is complete. Step aside. I shall take care of them." Janus holds an arm out in front of the robed woman. "Your only duty is to recover the Gemini Circuit. Anything else is an act of disloyalty." The robed woman looked angry toward Janus. "The nerve of you! I have carried out my orders!" The robed woman yelled.
"I can finish them off anytime. But fight now, your priority is to bring back the circuit, so that you can complete the fortress. Isn't that so?" Janus asked turning to look at the robed woman. The robed woman quickly slapped Janus over the head. "How dare a halfwit like you give me orders! We both report back to base!" She yelled. "Yeah, I hear you." Janus whispered.
They both then disappeared; then we left the ruins. Taking the knocked out woman with us.
( Author note: looky! I finished the next chapter sooner then I thought I will try to get the next one out before the end of the month if I can. )