Amy:...
Azazel:...
Miu:...
Erin:...So-
Lilith: Have you not yet learned your lesson with words?
Erin: Revoking statement.
Azazel:...So...You wanna tell us...Umm...
Amy: What happened?
Lilith: While not currently here, our creator is anything but benevolent.
Amy: God, I hear you on that.
Lilith:...Is that so?
Amy: Yeah, I mean, damn asshole LOVES hurting us.
Lilith:...I don't suppose that your face is horrifically scarred?
Amy: Umm... *Touches her own face* I don't think so. Haven't seen a mirror in a while, why do you ask?
Lilith: Ah, in that case, I don't suppose that you have immense powers that are hard to control, or come at an immense cost?
Amy: I mean, not really. Water bending is pretty fun and straight forward-
Lilith: Well, if that's so, then you MUST be burdened by the curses and wrongdoings of your bloodline. Surely the voices of those they damned haunt you, as well as the ones you've killed yourself.
Amy:...No?
Lilith: Then I don't want to hear it, Stone.
Hope was getting a little tired of waking up in new places with little to no immediate memory of what led up to this.
So, when she woke up to Jade drooling all over her shoulder, in the middle of a forest clearing, with only the early morning light to give her sight, she was more than a little confused. Granted, it could have been much worse, but that did little to nothing to really help her remember how she'd ended up here.
Yawning, she tried to push Jade off of her as gently as possible, stretched her arms as she looked around. It looked like the sun was beginning to rise, if the low red was anything to go off of.
She couldn't help but stare down at the sleeping Jade in front of her and notice how calm she looked. She looked oddly ageless when her face wasn't contorted into a scowl, especially with the lack of forehead wrinkles and furrowed eyebrows.
Hope didn't realize how closely she was looking until Jade's eyes shot open, giving Hope a split second of warning before clocking her in the jaw, "Oww!" Jade's chest heaved as she shot up, fingers digging into the ground as she looked around, mentally trying to put together the same thing that Hope was, "You didn't have to punch me!"
"You didn't need to be that close!" Jade huffed, nose twitched ever so slightly. Hope didn't expect Jade to shuffle a bit closer, her hand reaching out to tilt Hope's head to the side ever so gently, "I didn't mean to hit that hard."
"Right." Hope huffed, her head pounding just a little too hard to be comfortable in the morning, only to have Jade look at something behind her, "What now, found something else to punch?"
"What's that?"
Hope turned around to watch the light behind them grow brighter, "What, never seen the sunrise before?" Normally, Hope's word didn't hold so much bite behind them. But, granted, normally Hope's head wasn't threatening to go kamikaze.
She barely noticed it as Jade stood up, looking around in a confused manner. She kept turning around, hands held up and out in front of her like some sort of needle. "Hope."
"What?"
"That's South."
"How do you… You know what, okay. Congrats on being a compass, I guess."
"No, you're not understanding." Jade said, hands shaking ever so slightly. As Hope's headache finally died down, she noted how frantic Jade looked, from the way her eyes went wide to the slight but present blurry shift going on with her frame, "The sun rises in the East."
Hope slowly put it together in her head, turning back to the red that was slowly but surely growing brighter, "Well, if that's the case, then what-?"
She didn't get a chance to ask as Jade barrelled through her, not bothering to give any sort of warning before dashing off at a frantic pace. "God, would it kill you to stop hurting me?" Hope muttered, pulling herself up before jogging after Jade.
The only thing that kept her from tackling Jade to the ground was the memory of the night prior. It didn't hit her all at once, the things they had spoken about without being able to blame it on any alcohol, the weight of the words they had shared.
In the back of her head, she couldn't help but wince when her hair rubbed against the back of her neck in all the wrong ways. It took a lot of time to come to terms with her admittance, almost believing that it was all just a part of a horrible dream. She never told ANYONE about that mark, not even Kuro. Not even the one demon that Hope respected and aspired to be like, her hero to a point. She could never bring herself to admit that fault to Kuro, not with everything else that was already on the table.
And then she went ahead and admitted her thoughts on Violet. As if she didn't already feel horrible throwing that idea around in her head, she had to go ahead and let it fall out of her mouth. She couldn't help but invision Kuro's disapproving expression, despite standing by her thought, as blasphemous as it felt.
Hope was shaken from her thoughts when a scream rang out through the air. Cursing, Hope ran faster, following her link almost absentmindedly as she pushed her thoughts back down. She could think of them later, when Jade wasn't-
Hope let out a loud yelp, tripping over her own feet before crashing down to the ground, the only thing in view being the tips of Jade's shoes. Hope cursed, pushing herself up as she stared at Jade's shocked face, her wide eyes and hands covering her mouth. Her eyes seemed locked on something behind her, as if Hope had ran through whatever horror Jade seemed terrified by, "What's wrong?"
Jade shook her head, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes as she took a step back, Hope pushed herself up, dusting herself off as she tried to regain Jade's attention, "Sorry, what was that?"
That's when Hope finally turned to what Jade was looking at, her insides threatening to collapse in on themselves when she realized what she'd tripped over. Or, rather, who.
Jade's knees shook as she took another step back, hands finally falling limp at her sides, "Etri… Etri… Etri, wake up… This isn't funny, Etri…"
Hope couldn't help but stare at the facedown demon, his once white hair matted with dirt and blood seeping from the large gash that stretched across his back. Hope winced at the way the wound looked, a messy sword swing rather than a precise and calculated strike.
Hope didn't know what to do, hands reaching out to try and comfort, only to jump when she noticed the other sounds in the air. Hope could shake off the screaming and crying in the distance, it was a rather odd sound that caught her attention.
The sound of fire.
Jade seemed to realize it the same time that Hope did, taking off once more in the direction of the flickering lights, seemingly trading one bad situation for another. Hope offered a silent prayer of sorts to Etri's body as she followed, the idea of a demon dying on the Surface somewhat sickening.
She hadn't given it thought, the possibility of death on the Surface.
But, more pressing was how it happened. What had killed Etri?
Hope's answer hit her just a bit too quickly. And, while she was happy that she didn't trip over a kneeling Jade, she wished that seeing Etri was as bad as it would get.
Hope moved to stand at Jade's side, unable to really take in Jade's complete breakdown as the roaring fire before them engulfed Swinford. For some reason, Hope could hear nothing but the fire, the sounds and screams seemingly burning away along with their origins.
Hope only managed to shake herself from it when Jade sniffled, her mind snapping back as her hands found themselves gently holding Jade's shoulders, "Jade." Hope urged, neither of them able to look away from the horror in front of them, "Jade, we need to leave."
Hope felt her head snap as Jade pushed Hope's hands off of her, giving her an unreadable look from over her shoulder before running off into the burning remains of Swinford.
Hope stared at the spot that Jade once was, as if she couldn't understand why Jade wasn't there anymore, before looking up in the direction Jade had run into.
Hope looked into the fire, feeling the heat as she took another step forward. Everything in her body told her to turn around and run, that this fire was going to be the least of their worries at the moment.
"Me and my damn promises." Hope muttered, taking a moment to breath in before running in after Jade, hoping and praying that demons don't catch fire too easily.
Violet couldn't help but feel as if she'd traded one headache for another.
She traded the two in her head for this maniac of a person before her, laughing and giggling as she lashed out at Violet, who was just barely able to duck and dodge out of the way.
"Well, aren't you a spirited one?" Violet felt chills run down her spine at that impassive tone, one that didn't match her prior laughter, "Able to keep up, but just barely. Really, color me impressed."
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Corvus fighting against the other demon, Corvus' own movements much like her own as he danced around… Whatever it was the other demon was using to fight. God, what was that?
"Don't be rude! I just finished complimenting you, and this is the thanks I get?" Violet yelped as a cold metal chain wrapped around her foot, pulling it out from under her. She nearly smashed her face into the ground, just barely catching herself on her hands, "Jeez, kids these days just don't get it."
Right before she could be yanked up, Violet threw her foot out. She almost grinned at the sound of pain from the other woman, scrambling to get back up.
God, okay, take a moment to take it all in. What did she have? She had… A bag with drawing stuff inside. Great, no, perfect, that'll be a long of help. She did her best to assume some sort of fighting stance, curling her fingers around her thumbs before raising them up.
She watched as the other woman slowly got up, gulping at the venom in her eyes. She willed herself to stay there and breathe, unwilling to take a step back when she took one forward. Violet couldn't bring herself to move as the other picked the weapon back up, jumping when her stoney face broke into a sudden grin.
"Ah, where are my manners? I've yet to introduce myself!" The woman tossed her weapon around her neck like some sort of scarf, "My name is Cynthia Saclut, my favorite color is Eburnean, and I'm a Pisces!"
Violet didn't know how to respond as the woman took a dramatic bow, all while holding her hand out to shake, "At your service!"
Violet stared at her hand like it had an extra thumb.
"You do know how to shake a hand, yes?"
"I, ah… I umm-"
Violet jumped when a cold hand wrapped around her own, pulling her forward. Violet yelped, suddenly finding herself face to face with this stranger. She tried to move, only to feel cold metal links holding her arms in place. Wait, when did those get there?
"Wow, you're a pretty little thing, aren't you?" She murmured to herself, voice low and empty. Violet did her best not to jump when those cold fingers wrapped around the collar of her vest, the other moving to grab the side of her face, tilting it to the side, "So small and helpless; I think I'm in love."
Violet shuddered at the closeness, shrinking under the woman's predatory gaze, "You've yet to introduce yourself, dear."
Cynthia's sudden scream gave Violet the opening she needed to hop away as quickly as possible, shaking the chain from her body as Corvus tightened his grip around Cynthia's neck. Violet felt the air drop a few degrees as the murder settled in Corvus' eyes.
"Terribly sorry," He spat, shit eating smile a stark contrast to his trembling fist, "But it's quite inappropriate to pursue a child in such a way, yes?"
Cynthia laughed as Violet brandished the chained weapon out, only to look down at it, confused. What the hell was this thing? Who attaches a scythe to a chain? Where the hell is the handle!? Why is there a weighted ball on the other end!? "Is that so?"
Violet looked up from her tangled metal mess just as Cynthia took hold of Corvus's wrist, throwing her lower body up and over to hook around his outstretched arm, "So, I'm going to guess that you'd prefer I do this, instead?"
Violet took a step forward to help, as if she could do anything to stop Cynthia from violently jerking her body into a twist, Corvus' arm going with it. He dropped her, his good hand coming up to cover his injured arm, elbow bent at an unnatural angle, "Bother."
Cynthia laughed and cackled, eyes whipping between the two of them, "And here I thought that I was helping our dear demon boy!" Cynthia looked around, a finger placed on her bottom lip, "I do wonder, where on earth did he go?"
"My lady, behind me." Corvus muttered, trying to usher her over with his good arm, eyes trained on the cackling woman before them, "Now."
Cynthia's eyes locked on Corvus' narrowed ones, "Oh, that's adorable." She cooed, giggling behind her hand as she took a step backwards, twisting her body into a sort of stretch, "Also, that's not how you're supposed to hold that, dear."
"I k-know that!" Violet squeaked, panicky at the sudden attention turned towards her before sprinting over to where Corvus stood, allowing him to push her behind him and take a step forward.
Cynthia seemed to size the two of them up, the demon who refused to even tend to his wound and the girl who seemed too confused to be afraid, "... Ah, I think I understand now."
"Well, if that's the case, care to clue us in?" Violet mumbled, doing her best not to fumble the new weapon. Nothing should be this harder to hold, especially if you're expected to swing it around and fight with it.
"You two," Cynthia grinned, her finger waving from between them, "You two have a thing going on, don't you?"
"W-what!?" Violet hated how high pitched her voice decided to sound, taking a moment to clear her throat, "This is stupid. Look, we're here to find-"
"No, don't try and change the subject!" Cynthia grinned, taking a step forward. Violet yelped when Corvus pushed her back a little farther, taking a step of his own, "Ha, down boy, I won't hurt your owner. I'm just a little curious."
"Is that so?" Violet shivered as a dark aura overtook Corvus' body, his tone measured and clipped, "What, pray tell, are you curious about?"
"Oh, you know," Cynthia said, clasping both hands before her before leaning forward, as if she were about to tell a secret, "Just wondering how long you'll fall for this little charade of ours."
Corvus reacted before Violet did, shifting her around him just in time to avoid the swing of that odd-looking sword, blade ending up embedded in the ground.
The holder of the sword sighed, placing his foot over the stone before prying it out, "Was that really necessary, Saclut?"
The golden eyed demon seemed oblivious to Violet's sudden wide eyes, her mind buzzing for some reason. Why did he sound familiar? She hadn't gotten a chance to do so before, but now that she was looking him over, there was no doubt about it: there was something familiar about this demon.
But why?
"It's your own fault for taking so long!" Cynthia whined, eyeing Violet before running her tongue over her top lip, "Besides, my attention was elsewhere."
"Now is not the time for this." The demon chided, resting the blade on his shoulder as he stared Corvus down, "We have more pressing matters."
Violet winced as her mind reeled, she couldn't help but feel that he was-
Familiar, why is he familiar? Why do I feel like I know him?
Now really isn't the time to-
No, NO, SHUT IT! I'M CLOSE, SO CLOSE, JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME THINK!
Violet dropped to her knees, mind overtaken. It wasn't a headache, per say, it felt more like an intrusion. She could FEEL someone's hands closing around her head, cracking open her skull, digging through her brain.
Come on, where is it?
She barely noticed it when Corvus turned around, mouth forming Violet's name, but no sound. That seemed to be what the other two were waiting for, if Cynthia's vicious smile was anything to go off of.
Corvus rushed to meet them both, doing the best he could manage with his injured arm.
It's here, it has to be here!
What are you looking for?
Something, anything! This guy knows something, I know it, but I don't know what!
All the while Violet stayed on the ground, hands feeling glued to her head as she tried to breathe. She could feel nails against the inside of her skull, twitching as brain matter flew about. This wasn't real, the rational part of her mind told her, none of this was really happening.
Come on, where the FUCK is it!?
This isn't real.
God dammit, why can't I get in!?
Didn't stop the pain.
Violet dragged one hand from her head, pulling out a clump of hair as she did so. With that hand she tried to push herself up, tears welling up in her eyes as the pouding grew stronger.
Are you TRYING to hide it from me, huh? Think you're so clever, blocking me out of my own memories like that!?
The pounding got louder, stronger, faster.
You think I won't tear us all apart, huh!?
What the hell are you doing!?
Finally, Violet's hand slipped from under her, jaw coming down to crash against the stone slab beneath her, knocking her out on the impact.
Jade ran out, blocking out everything else as best as she could. She refused to acknowledge the burnt bodies around her, refused to give her own shack another look after running past its burning remains. The only thing that kept her mind from falling apart was her mission: Find Foraii.
Jade threw her shoulder against the large doors, finally breaking her way into the burning building, "FORAII!" Jade shouted, only to cough and wheeze into her shoulder the moment after.
Her eyes widened as she took in the Main Hall, or, what was left of it. From the entrance, she hadn't realized that the entire back wall had been blown out, the multiple rooms all merging into one with the walls having crumbled to the floor.
The fight going on in the middle of the hall explained it all before Jade could ask.
Jade didn't think, rushing forward as a strangled screech ripped itself from her throat, picking up a fallen bent pipe before swinging.
She just barely noticed Foraii screaming at her to stop before the figure turned to her, letting out an incoherent scream as it lashed out at her, throwing a blade over and out like a dislocated elbow.
Jade took a second to take in the shaved head and grey eyes, her swing faltering as all her worst suspicions were made clear.
Jade threw herself back just in time, the tip of Blythe's blade just grazing over her eyebrow as Jade backed away, only then noticing the pipe was shorter than she remembered, "...W-what?"
Foraii grabbed her by her collar, pulling her back before Blythe could swing about once more, all but dragging her out of harm's way, "What the HELL were you thinking!?"
"Denholm?" Jade murmured, unable to look away from that… Thing. Somehow, even with all the fire around them, Jade could just barely make out Blythe's form. She could have sworn that Blythe wasn't always that big, at least, not on the same size as Solgren.
She barely noticed it as Foraii pulled her body around, her body little more than a rag doll, "Get your head out of you ASS AND MOVE!"
Jade whipped around just in time to push Foraii out of the way, the two of them knocked to the ground as Blythe swung about once more. Foraii cursed, staring at the metal rod that was stuck in his arm before grabbing it.
Before Jade could protest, he ripped it right out, screaming as he closed both hands around the pipe, legs shaking as he sized Blythe's form up, "Get out of here."
"W-what?" Jade protested, the two of them watching as Blythe threw her head back at an unnatural angle, "And leave you alone to die? You can't be serious!"
"I'm NOT asking, Lez!" Foraii shouted, looking like he was ready to throw a lecture at her, only to get hit straight in the chest by Blythe's other hand, that skinny limb somehow sending him flying.
"FORAII!" Jade ran forward, not completely sure what her plan of action was, only that she needed to get Blythe's attention off of Foraii's limp body, "HEY, DENHOLM, OVER HERE!" She grabbed a rock, throwing it at the hulking figure, anything to get the attention off of Foraii, "I'M TALKING TO YOU, DENHOLM DICKHEAD!"
Jade watched as Blythe stopped, turning to Jade ever so slowly. Her eyes locked onto Blythe's sword hand as she swung it around, a wave of disgust as she realized she wasn't holding the sword. No, it looked like someone had run the skin of her wrist through, the blade dangling from it like a hangnail.
The only thing that kept Jade from throwing up was the low growl that came from Blythe's throat, "You."
Jade felt her voice before she heard it, feeling the ground shake every so slightly. It only then occurred to her that it might not have been a good idea to provoke the hulked-out Denholm hunter. Jade grabbed the nearest possible thing, brandishing it out like it would save her.
It was only then she realized that she had grabbed a shovel.
"Lovely."
"YOU." Jade nearly jumped into the fires behind her, Blythe taking a lumbering step forward
"Yes." Jade said, taking a step back while squaring off her shoulders, "Me."
Before she could think of how stupid that sounded out loud, Blythe rushed her. Jade wasn't ready for the girl to run at her, especially in her current condition. Jade tried to duck under the downward swing, only to feel fleshy fingers grip her by the neck.
Jade was pulled up, nails clawing at Blythe's hand, only to cringe when she cut right through her skin. All the while, Blythe stared her down, head tilted to the side as she searched her mind. Finally, Blythe's eyes hardened, anger fueling the inhumanly strong hand around her throat, "YOU."
"LET GO OF HER!" Jade's head lolled to the side, vision growing dizzy. She gasped as air rushed down her lungs, hands just barely helping to break her fall against the brittle ground. She jumped when Blythe let out a loud roar, ears ringing as she tried to shake the fog from her head.
Hands patting about on the ground, her hands gripped the stupid shovel once more, using it to help her stand back up just as her eyes finally focused. Jade watched as Foraii beat Blythe with the metal pipe, just barely about to dodge out of the way.
Without thinking twice, Jade levelled the shovel, eyes narrowed before charging. Foraii caught her eye, a warning on his lips right before Jade thrusts forth with the shovel. Blythe had just enough time to turn around and block with her sword hand.
Eyes narrowed, Jade twisted the shovel ever so slightly, digging the tip into the wrist of her skin, before dragging it down. She winced as blood splattered across her face, jumping back before Blythe could grab at her once more, "Foraii, now!"
"You." Blythe said, her whisper just barely heard over the inferno around them, "You. You. You."
Foraii took a running start, bringing the pipe down on the back of Blythe's knees. Rising the shovel like a baseball bat, Jade swung with as much might as she could muster, burying the side of the shovel into Blythe's abdomen.
Jade's heavy breathing was soon swapped out for hysterical laughter, eyes watering as she looked at the hellscape around her. It looked too much like Hell now, the very place they had all tried to escape from.
Their own personal Hell.
Foraii rushed over, checking her for injury before helping her up, "Come on, we gotta get out of here." Now that she was this close, she could see Foraii' sweltering skin, bright red patches forming on his shoulders and back, "Damn thing came out of fucking no where, started setting us on fire. Couldn't bring it down, nothing seemed to hurt it. Hopefully, Etri and Solgren got them out."
Jade opened her mouth, mind unable to put her thoughts to words. How would she have said it regardless? How would she be able to tell Foraii about how she'd found Etri's lifeless body? Her lower lip trembled, unwilling to even try.
"Demon."
She didn't get the chance, eyes widening as Foraii turned around. The two watched in horror as Blythe rose from her kneeling position, fumbling for the sword on the ground. Instead of moving to grab it, Blythe forced the blade through her bleeding wrist, coming out of the back of her hand.
"Holy shit." Jade breathed, watched as Blythe charged them. Stuck in her own stupor, she went flying the moment Blythe's arm slammed into her side. She was slammed against a wall, crying out as pain rippled up her spine.
She just barely managed to pull herself up in order to duck under a sword swing, eyes going wide as Blythe's fist created a crater next to her head. More traumatizing was the grin on Blythe's disfigured face, the toothy grin that Jade herself was all too familiar with.
She watched as Foraii pulled Blythe off of her, the image of Blythe's grin imprinted behind her eyes while Foraii took on a boxing stance, keeping on his toes as he kpt Blythe's attention on him.
She saw it too late, the mistake. She let out a shout, one meant to be a warning, not a distraction.
Foraii's confused and concerned expression was the last he'd ever have, the light leaving his eyes the moment Blythe drove her sword right through his chest.
She couldn't scream, couldn't move, nothing. She felt
Jade felt her world shatter as Blythe shot her a mimicked snarky grin, raising Foraii's broken body by his neck, "Revenge."
Jade felt her veins fill with ice, nearly stepping backwards into the fire behind her, barely able to comprehend the fear that flooded her system. She looked at Foraii helplessly, silently begging for him to shout, scream, something. Give her some sort of order, some sort of guidance.
Jade felt like she'd been severed, unable to move and react as Blythe got closer, seemingly taunting her. Not that she could tell, just barely able to remain standing as the giant loomed over her. No matter the panic in the back of her head, she didn't do much to stop Blythe from punting her, throwing her through the fire.
Jade crumbled like a rag doll, unwilling to righten herself as she watched Blythe step through the ruins of the Main Hall. No, she didn't move until she felt someone pull her up.
She only stood when Hope forced her to, only moved when Hope grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. She followed almost mindlessly, too stuck in her own head to allow herself to accept what had happened.
Amy: God, did someone turn up your edge factor?
Erin: You really couldn't have said that-?
Lilith: Can it, "Dusty".
Erin: Come on, you're okay with HER talking all this crap and shit, but the moment I-!? *Yelps before being sucked into the floor, sinking up to her waist* Okay, message sent.
Azazel: (0_0) Umm... Do you maybe want some time to yourself, Lilith?
Lilith: Now, what could have POSSIBLY tipped you off to that?
Miu: I'll g-g-get the d-door.
Amy: Wait, why waste time bitching to us when you can just do your "shadow teleport jitsu"?
Lilith:... *Drops out of sight*
Azazel:... I don't know if I should thank you or throttle you in Lilith's place.
Amy: Does it matter? Now she can go off somewhere else to mourn her face, none of us get thrown into another dimension, and she'll come back when she's ready. I don't see a downside to this.
Erin: Umm... *Tries to push herself up and out of the floor* Guys?
Miu: S-she does have a point.
Erin: Anyone? Anyone in this room? Anyone in this room that can possibly hear me right now?
Azazel: Fine, but in the event she comes back angrier, we hide behind Amy.
Erin: I can't feel my legs.
Amy: Fine, but not before I get something to eat. I'm hungry, and I think there's ice cream in the fridge.
Azazel: Oh, I call dibs on the strawberry!
Miu: I hope t-t-that there's s-still some l-lemonade in the fridge.
Erin:... You all suck ass.
