Bit by bit, the fog cleared up. By the time Adrian confirmed they had reached the right area, it had become a faint fuzz compared to the whiteout from earlier. A notable drop in the temperature caught them all off guard as they walked, as if a wall of frigid air had been built around the area. Black Star's teeth chattered loudly and he buried his face into his scarf. And Vajra too shivered so much that Asura's own hand was shaken violently by his weapon's. Even the reapers buried their faces in their scarves to fend off the chill, the change too sudden for their bodies to properly adjust at first.
Asura held a hand out to stop them from continuing on as he scanned the area with wary eyes. Though there appeared to be no enemies, he warned them to be cautious. The ground here was more broken than anything they'd seen before. Black branches twisted up out of the ground, pieces of the stone pavement held up in their grip. The vines were few and far between here, still a twisted mess but one coming from the same direction they were directed to go.
Under Asura's instruction and Adrian's guidance, they stepped onto the broken path. The branches creaked and swayed under the added weight. It rocked the suspended pavement and made the pieces unstable. Their steps faltered with every shift beneath their feet as they struggled to balance. Adrian insisted this was the fastest way to reach the key though, so they could only trust those words.
The vines grew thicker as they went further, increasing in number and knotting in a writhing mess across the floor. It became more difficult to avoid them on the shifting ground until they finally gave in and stomped over them instead. Kid's nose scrunched in disgust at the squelching, fleshy sound of them being crushed under his feet, oozing black goop all over his shoes. It earned a snicker from Black Star, who found the expression funny.
"It's up there. Right ahead." Adrian's voice echoed across the quiet street over the sound of squishing vines and muffled footsteps. The vines convened up ahead, layered over the vague shape of a body laid flat on the ground. Asura audibly gulped, unease settling in his gut. A quick glance reassured him that at least Kid and Vajra felt the same, but Black Star's barely concealed excitement unnerved him. He knew it wasn't like the boy was excited to see the corpse, but it still felt wrong in the situation.
Slowly, he approached with Vajra close behind. Unwilling to be left behind, Black Star tried to bolt past them all. The ground shifted under his weight, tipping forward and almost sending him toppling face first into the vines if not for Kid rushing to grab him. A low groan echoed around them, the tree supporting their weight disrupted by the sudden movement. Frightened, Asura held onto Vajra's arm as he swayed and adjusted his footing.
"Don't do that idiot." Kid's voice cut through the quiet suddenly, his sharp gaze pinned to the other boy as he scolded him. He only received a roll of the eyes and a scoff as Black Star pulled his arm free from his grip. "Hey, seriously. You can't just run off like that when the ground's not stable. There's nothing down there to catch you if you fall!"
Another roll of the eyes followed his words and Black Star, quite loudly, responded, "Uhhh no. There's obviously trees down there. Duh." He gestured to the gnarled black branches twisting out from under the stone pavement with his empty hand. "I can just grab one and climb back up if I fall." Now steady on his own two feet, Black Star brushed off his clothes. His teeth ground together in frustration as he stomped forward again at a reasonable pace.
Kid stood still for a moment, unsure what to say to his friend. Shaking his head, he just settled on following after him with enough distance that Black Star wouldn't be bothered by him but not so much to be unable to help. As they approached, the sinking feeling in his gut grew heavier and heavier until it twisted in knots and left him feeling nauseous. It wasn't until they stood over the body that he understood why.
The body laid belly down on the pavement with their arms outstretched as if they were trying to crawl away. Its pale skin wrinkled like it had dried up under the desert sun, all dry and colored like ash with its wide, desperate eyes sunk deep into the sockets. Vines tore through the skin like it was paper, frozen bits of muscle and sinew dragged out with it. They cocooned the corpse, most pouring from the gaping hole in the man's chest or the openings of his clothes.
Vajra was the one to approach it first, seemingly unfazed by the sickly scent of raw and freezer burnt meat as he slid the dagger out of Asura's pocket and crouched beside it. Bit by bit, he hacked the vines away and scraped them from the corpse with the blade before gently patting it down. His brow furrowed and he struggled to suppress a grimace as the vines bled out their black, foul smelling sap around the body.
In a few moments he turned back around with a frown marring his face and a shake of his head. Asura's shoulders slumped immediately, shaking as he ducked his head to hide his frightened expression. Kid tried to give him an awkward but reassuring pat on the back only for the older reaper to flinch away from the touch.
The radio sparked to life, Adrian's voice coming through fuzzier than before. It took a moment but soon the spirit was able to speak clearly again. "Do you think we can cover him too like you did for me? Kaimen probably wouldn't like being seen like this since he always tried to look his best. He was vain and an asshole but he didn't deserve...this..."
Black Star grinned down at the radio. Though Kid supposed it was meant to be reassuring, it came off as way too happy. "Sure thing! We don't have anything right now but we can look around and see what's here." He gave a thumbs up before turning to Kid expectantly.
"We can use the clothes in Adrian's bag since he won't really need them." Kid suggested. He faced Vajra and the man nodded in agreement, swinging Adrian's bag from his shoulder before pausing. His mouth opened to ask if it was alright, but Adrian beat him to it.
"I don't mind as long as it isn't the purple sweater with the ugly cat pattern. My wife made it for me and I don't want it ruined." The spirit said solemnly.
With a nod he unzipped it and pulled out all of the clothes besides the sweater he was asked to use. Asura came over to help him and the boys as well. He was careful to lift the body and check beneath it first in case the man fell on top of the key when he died but there was no such luck. Once finished, he snatched the radio from Black Star's hands and walked away with the annoyed boy following at his heels. Asura watched them carefully, only shifting his attention when Kid spoke up. He pointed to something a bit farther up the road and said, "Is that a pack?"
The boy didn't wait for a response before getting to his feet and walking as quickly as he dared to inspect it. Casting one look back to his partner and Black Star, he followed Kid to be sure he wouldn't be left alone. Kid knelt beside the bag, tossing aside empty ration bar packs and bottled water as he sifted through it. When he was about to ask for help, Kid let out a triumphant shout. The small skull charm strung around animal teeth was held high overhead as he jumped to his feet.
Asura couldn't suppress the laugh bubbling up from his throat, hysterical and raspy as everyone turned to stare at him. Concerned, Vajra returned to his partner's side with Black Star on his heels still trying to take back the radio. The laughter died slowly and Asura tried his best to act as if he hadn't done anything in the first place. Clearing his throat Asura said, "Kid found the key. Now we need to get to the central temple where that brat is." As if illustrating his brother's words, Kid held the necklace up for all to see.
For a moment, no one said anything. Vajra only raised an eyebrow at the sudden shift in the reaper's attitude. When he held a hand up, Kid tossed the charm to him to inspect. While he was distracted with it Black Star snatched the radio back and asked, "So boss, do you know where the central temple is?"
"...You really want to go there?" Came Adrian's slow and uneasy response. When they all nodded, albeit with hesitance on Asura's part, the spirit continued, "I do know. It's where we found our keys but it will be heavily guarded even if it may not look it at first. Do you still want to go knowing that?"
"We don't have much of a choice here. The bridge back to the other side collapsed," Kid said as he scratched at the back of his neck. The radio fizzled static for a long moment, as Adrian considered this.
The radio glowed brightly then, heating up with the spirit's frustration. "Very well, I will take you there. It's better than letting you kids run right into a trap." The sigh came out jumbled and hazy but they could already feel Adrian's frustration through his words. Asura glanced over to Vajra, unease clearly painted on his face. The man responded with a reassuring pat on the shoulder and a small smile.
"Was there anything else of use in the bag?" Vajra asked as he peered over his shoulder at Kid. The boy returned the look for a moment before rummaging through it again.
"Let's see. We have… Some old military grade ration bars, clothes, an old lighter, some matches, candles, a flask…" He paused, popping the lid open and bringing it close to his nose to sniff at. The strong scent of alcohol hit him like a ton of bricks, burning at the back of his throat and stinging his eyes. His nose scrunched up and he held it away at arms length as he screwed the top back in place. "Some very strong alcohol. Aghh, what even is that."
"Focus Kid." Asura chided. Kid turned his disgusted look to his brother for a moment and flipped his middle finger up in the older god's direction. A glare came as his response, Asura's eyes narrowed at him. "Once we leave I will kill you myself."
Kid paid no mind to the threat, turning his attention back to the bag as he dug deeper inside. "Oh! There's another radio. Maybe we can use this, the matches, and the candles."
"I'll take a couple candles and the flask." Vajra stated, raising his hand to volunteer himself for the requested items. He was met with a skeptical look from all three of his companions.
Black Star was the one who shook his head and placed his hands on his hips. "C'mon, drinking sounds like a bad idea right now. You really wanna be the guy who dies first?"
Scoffing, the weapon approached Kid and took them himself while explaining, "You know, I do have a big bite on my arm. Just because I'm not complaining doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like a bitch. I think I've earned this." He gestured to the torn sleeve of his jacket, red and white peeking through the holes for everyone to see. The cap popped off and he took a swig in one quick motion before closing it and stuffing it in his jacket pocket.
"What a power move." Kid commented, one eyebrow raised before deciding to ignore him to double check the bag in case he missed something. The rest of the supplies were divided up between them all and he pocketed the extra radio for himself. As if unsure that was really everything, Asura came to check it himself. Kid stayed nearby, listening in as Vajra and Black Star got the directions to the central temple from Adrian.
The radio in his pocket buzzed, static fizzing through the speakers suddenly. It made him jump and he hurriedly pulled it from his pocket. At first he heard nothing but after remembering that Adrian took time to respond when they first made contact he held it up to his ear. Quiet whispers filtered through the radio, quickly growing in tone until they were howling in different tongues with panicked and desperate voices. He ripped the radio away from his ear as the noise erupted into the screams of thousands of voices.
Asura leapt to his feet as the screaming echoed across the empty street, panic clear in his wide, darting eyes that finally settled on the radio in Kid's hand. He glanced between his brother and partner, both holding their radios away from themselves to save their ears from the terrible shrieking. Vajra met his eyes, and shouted so he could be heard over the ruckus, "WE NEED TO GO- WOAH!"
As if suddenly coming to life, the branches peeking out from under ground moved. They tipped the ground in a sudden jerking motion. The pavement shifted under their feet, sending them toppling to the ground in a chorus of surprised shouts. Vajra lashed out, grabbing onto Black Star as they slid towards the gaping hole opening below them. The blade in the boy's bag was ripped out in one swift motion and stabbed into a crack in the pavement. It dragged against the pavement with their weight until finally stopping, a trail left in its wake as he prayed it would hold. Black Star's sudden shout drew his attention from the two of them and he glanced downwards.
Asura scrabbled against the slick ground, much like Kid. Vajra looked around frantically, knowing he would fall and take Black Star with him if he let go but not wanting to lose them either. His grip tightened on Black Star as the boy struggled and shouted at him to "LET GO OR DO SOMETHING COWARD!". But there was nothing he could do. And just when it seemed like Kid at least had found a way to save himself, the corpse of Kaimen jolted free from the sticky sap pooled around it. It hit the boy head on, knocking him loose and sending him into the abyss.
Black Star screamed and clawed at him. Kid stared up at them, confused and frightened. And Asura. Asura, Asura, his dear partner. He looked between Kid and the two of them, a terrified but determined gleam in his golden eyes. With a shaky and uncertain smile he promised, "We will find you.". And then quieter, so much so he would have missed it had he not been watching Asura's lips move as he spoke, "I will find you.". And then he jumped, following his brother into the darkness. And Vajra let go, just like Black Star told him to, to follow them down. But the ground righted itself as they slid, sealing itself up again into an unmoving stone path with only a thin line to indicate where it had once opened.
All around the trees receded underground, locking the only ways they had to follow the reapers with the pieces of pavement until there was nothing but solid stone as far as the eye could see. And he could only sit there, mind swirling as he tried to process what had just happened. It finally dawned on him that they'd lost them. He lost Asura. He wasn't supposed to lose anyone. He promised he'd never let it happen again. Even as he watched Black Star exhaust himself, the boy scratching and bashing the ground in an uncharacteristic panic. Even as Adrian's voice crackled frantically to life. Even as the radio whispered again he couldn't bring himself to move from that spot, eyes pinned to the sealed hole as if he expected them to crawl back out and laugh like it was a joke. A cruel, cruel joke but a joke nonetheless.
.
.
.
Cold. It was cold, so very, very cold as if he'd been buried in ice. But that wasn't right? He could feel the water lapping at his body from every side. Not ice but colder somehow. Shivers wracked his frozen body, the involuntary movement bringing with it a sudden burning, stabbing pain in his chest. He gasped, the action sending another spark of pain through him, and brought his hands to his chest. Or tried to. One clutched at the swelling wound on his ribs while the other rested uselessly at his side.
What happened? Where was he? As his mind began to process more than the pain, a sense of urgency hit him. Whispers of 'danger, danger' sparked fear in the back of his mind and he jolted upright. His senses returned like a slap in the face. Darkness and a sickly sweet scent hung in the air. The floral scent was barely notable under the heavy stink of iron and rot clinging to the air. He gagged, the action shooting through his body like a thousand knives.
Leaning over, he used his good arm to support himself as he retched. The stench was just too much at first. But as he heaved until his stomach was empty and all he could manage were choked sounds, it eventually dulled. Had his chest not been burning he may have dwelled on how strange it was that he was already used to the smell. But the tightness of his chest and the popping of bone was far too distracting now. He froze, trying not to irritate the injury further and instead tried to focus on his surroundings.
The water? He wasn't so sure any more that that was what he landed in now. It was thicker, heavier, and stuck to his skin in a partially congealed mess that left him with the deep urge to bathe and wash the grimy feeling from his skin and hair. The faint slosh of it as it hit something in its path drew his attention. Slowly, carefully, he approached the disturbance. He shuffled bit by bit, being mindful of his burning chest and the ache throbbing in his arm that now decided to make itself known the more aware he became. And finally. Finally! He reached the disturbance, his good hand reaching out for it blindly in the darkness.
Warmth. Faint but still warmer than the frigid waters and biting chill in the air. The cloth under his fingers felt… familiar. A body? Here? Alive? He trailed a hand along the fabric until finally it settled on smooth skin and soggy, matted hair. As if disturbed by the action, the body flinched. Groggy, disoriented eyes fluttered open slowly, glowing pale gold in the darkness and casting faint light around them. Familiar. So, so familiar…
The other blinked the haze from their tired eyes and sat up with a quiet gasp of pain. It lasted only a moment before they turned to him, recognition lighting up in their eyes as they scanned his face. And then they reached for him, a hand settling on his cheek as if not believing he was real. In a quiet voice they spoke up. "...Asura?" The smell hit him soon after, and the boy turned away from him to retch.
His eyes adjusted better, the fuzzy film swinging in his vision clearing enough to make out the figure and he found he knew them too. "Kid…"
He remembered now. Kid, trying desperately to save himself, getting hit by the corpse with the key and falling down, down, down, almost out of sight. Vajra's frightened eyes as he struggled to find a way to save them all. He'd known it wasn't possible once Kid fell. Black Star would be safe with his partner. He needed to protect his brother. If he didn't follow him Kid would disappear, just like the others, and he would forget him. Forget his voice and face and everything that made Kid himself. That wasn't something he wanted. That terrified him.
It scared him so much that he'd jumped, using the momentum to speed his own fall. Grabbing, pulling the boy close with all his strength and flipping them in mid-air so he could take the brunt of the fall with an arm protectively shielding Kid's head. Just in case. Hitting the branches of towering, gnarled trees snapped his ribs and spine and shattered the bones in his arm all the way down. The final one jarred the boy from his arms and he could vaguely remember reaching for him before landing head first in the shallow water before blacking out.
With shaking hands, he pulled his brother close. It was comforting to see the boy alive and relatively safe. But something felt wrong. With his senses about him now he could pinpoint it. "...Vajra?" The name came out as a whisper at first, the tight feeling in his chest only squeezing more with his mounting anxiety until he was left gasping for breath.
"Vajra?" This time it came with more volume, desperation tainting his voice. Where was his partner? He didn't fall in after them, did he? "Vajra! Are… are you there?! Please!" His grip on Kid loosened and he shot to his feet, eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness around them to the point he could make out foggy shapes.
"Vajra! Where are you?!" He called again frantically, gasping at the sudden stabbing in his chest. It was fine. It would heal. He would be fine if he could just find Vajra. If the man didn't fall, he would be left alone up there with hordes of unknown beasts and the monster they called a god. He couldn't leave Vajra to that. He couldn't lose Vajra to that.
Thin arms wrapped around his middle gently and Kid pressed his head against Asura's back, but he still jumped. The movement hurt like hell and he doubled over with a pained cry. Kid's voice spoke up and he focused on it, trying to ground himself before his fear took over completely. "...It's okay. They're safe. They've got the key and they can leave to find help. They're gonna be okay, Vajra's gonna be okay." ...Right. Vajra had the key. He would be smart enough to leave, right? Right.
"Right… right, you're right...He'll take Black Star and go get help. They have Adrian to guide them…" Though it took a moment, he managed to calm down to a reasonable level of fear. His breathing evened to a slight quivering as he tried to steady it. Finally he asked, "You… Are you alright?"
He could feel Kid nod before pulling away. Though he walked to stand face to face, his steps sounded off as he sloshed through the water. Looking closer, Asura could see him shifting most of his weight onto his right leg. A pained grimace would flash across the boy's face any time he accidentally shifted too much pressure onto his left leg. Something thick and dark trailed down his face, a small wound closing quickly but the pale scar tissue around it made it clear it had once been much bigger.
The boy let out a breathy laugh at his question. "Hurts a lot but it's more of an ache. Besides, you took most of those hits. I should be asking you that." His eyes hardened into a more serious expression. One that demanded an honest answer. Asura was far too tired to bother lying.
"I think my ribs broke, and I can't move my right arm. The back of my head aches a lot worse than the rest of me too." He gingerly touched the raw spot on his head as he mentioned it, only to wince as he made contact with it. "Ah… it was probably very bad. Most likely fatal otherwise my other wounds wouldn't be so bad right now."
Kid nodded, tapping his chin carefully for a moment. He seemed to accept the explanation and carefully patted his brother's arm. "I see. Do you think you can walk? I can help you if you need it." Carefully, he grabbed Asura's good arm to help him steady himself. The older god brushed him off with a quiet reassurance that he would be fine, seemingly unconcerned by his own injuries. It made Kid uneasy, but he could only trust that Asura knew his own limits. Already the man had made a makeshift sling from the scarf around his neck to support his arm while his body tried to repair itself.
He tilted his head back to look above them, the empty blackness staring back. How far did they fall? How long had they been unconscious for? Had Black Star and Vajra already found the way out? Were they safe? His worries swelled, but he crushed them down. He and Asura weren't in a good place and it would be more practical to focus on themselves. But even as he took Asura's good hand, insisting they needed to move, he wished that he could see Black Star's goofy smile trying to cheer him up. If he wanted to see his friend again then they would need to get back to them alive. With that thought in mind, the two gods waded through the sloshing muck at the bottom of the abyss in search of the exit.
.
.
.
With a shaky breath, Vajra slowly got to his feet. Asura said he'd find them. He promised to find him. Asura would be okay. He was strong. And Kid was with him so he would be able to lean on his brother if need be. He hoped Asura would rely on his Kid at least.
The radio whispered in his hand, finally reaching him through his shock. He rushed to grab Black Star, dragging the boy along with him by the hood as he retrieved the borrowed blade. The boy protested loudly, kicking and screaming at him to let go. "DAMMIT! WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE THEM! LET ME GO!" He rolled himself over and pushed himself up, tearing the hood from Vajra's hand with a snarl. "JUST CAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA SAVE THEM DOESN'T MEAN I DON-"
He grunted, as his sword was shoved harshly against his chest with enough force to make him stumble. The burning glare directed his way came with an unfamiliar sense of danger he never thought he would feel from the weapon. Glancing up, he was met with a blank expression but a barely contained rage hid behind Vajra's dark eyes. He swallowed past the lump in his throat, unsure what to say now. The man beat him to it, leaning down to his height and growling, "Don't you ever imply I would just abandon Asura or Kid. The voices mean something is coming and we can't save them if we die here. Do you understand?"
Black Star mulled over the words and though he loathed to admit it, their numbers were cut in half. It would make a fight all that much harder to survive. He nodded slowly, making sure the weapon could see the movement clearly. "...I got it. I… I got it." He waited a moment for the man to back away, the anger dulling quickly to be replaced by a more calculating look. "So then, what's the plan now?"
"Find a place to hide until the whispers stop and then have Adrian take us to the central temple. It's just a hunch, but that thing said it lived there with its parents and since its father is the creature from the abyss, I'd bet they're connected." He reasoned, waving a hand in a vague gesture at the path ahead.
It hit him then, a bright grin crossing his face as he bounced on his heels. "I get it! If there's a way down then we can use it to go and find them!" Pride welled in his chest when Vajra nodded and he pumped a fist in the air. His excitement seemed to surprise the weapon a bit but he smiled and started along the street with quick strides and the boy followed in his footsteps. Much to their relief, the voices faded as they left until they finally stopped all together.
The street opened to a cluttered plaza, not much different from the one they first encountered. Unlike that one, there was no mutilated corpse on a pedestal at the center. The crystal slab was there, but it was a flat, open space surrounded by towering temples striped with black branches and roots as far as their eyes could see. Black Star went straight through the center, kicking rubble from his path as he went.
His teeth grit together, a nervous energy boiling in him and churning his stomach. Though he did agree with Vajra to an extent, he hated this helplessness crawling under his skin. When it really counted, he hadn't been able to do anything of use. Even as he struggled with desperation fueled strength, he couldn't even escape the weapon's grasp. He could only watch Kid falling. Asura jumping.
And now that he thought back he recalled a strange golden glow, shrouded in shadows and small like the head of a pin, but still there. Watching? ...It was. Watching them. The whole time underneath their feet it was just watching and waiting. And no one noticed. He never noticed. And he called himself an assassin? What kind of assassin lets himself get ambushed?
Sensing the boy's frustration, Vajra eyed him warily. Though he understood the feelings his companion struggled with, he had never actually tried to console someone else experiencing them. Asura would just… sense it. And though he was awkward and rough and terribly blunt, somehow he just knew Asura understood. That was usually enough to comfort him to an extent. But Black Star wasn't the same as him, he was sure of that. Black Star was emotional and rash and acted first, often forgoing the thinking part all together. More like Asura than himself who, even after so many years, couldn't help but analyze and overanalyze and plan to survive by any means necessary.
But there wasn't enough here to analyze now. The enemy gave nothing away. No hints. No signs. No paths or obvious plans or motives. It was like this was just for fun. An elaborate act for their entertainment. There was no logic or normal reasoning to find to it. Though he had noticed their dislike for Asura and Kid, the real gods, but somehow it all felt off in a way he couldn't pin. Because there wasn't enough to go off of. The city's purpose, the creatures motives, their hatred of the reapers, the destruction, all of it was missing something. A single piece to lock it all in place. That was what he needed.
Shaking his head, he put a stop to those thoughts, knowing full well he would be unable to drag himself back to reality if he started on that old habit now. He needed to see if there was any way to help Black Star. Maybe he could distract the boy from his frustration? He'd stayed quiet on quite a few tiny details he noticed for the sake of Asura's sanity. Withheld a bit of information, maybe. Didn't share some of his thoughts on the situation. It may have been better to speak up before things got this bad.
Biting his lip, he made his way over to Black Star and set a hand on his shoulder seconds before he tried to kick a particularly large rock. "Hey Star. I was thinking about this for a while now. Don't you think it's strange Asura and Kid still can't use their power at all?" The boy froze for a moment as he processed the question.
He turned around slowly, scanning the man like he expected some sort of trap. Not seeing any difference, he relaxed. "Eh. Not really. Didn't you say it was those seals that did it?"
Vajra nodded, "Yeah but to my knowledge, seals like that have a set range and we've come a long way from where we started. I sincerely doubt the range is really this big." He scratched at his chin, head tilted ever so lightly to the left and lips pressed into a thin line.
Again it took a moment for Black Star to respond, but he turned his attention fully to the weapon. "Huh. Didn't know that. So they should have their magic back now… Maybe there's more seals we could tear down?" He suggested.
"Have you seen any? I've been looking but I haven't found them." The boy shook his head. Now he looked more thoughtful than frustrated so Vajra was counting that as a win. "Ah, Let's keep an eye out for them then."
The radio sparked to life, Adrian's voice coming through clearly. "Not to interrupt but this is not the best place to be. It's very open. The alley to the right on the far end is one that will take us where we need to be." Black Star nodded, smiling brightly and jogging across the plaza with a quick, 'race ya', thrown over his shoulder. Vajra followed after him at a brisk pace, not running like the boy was but fast enough to keep him within his sights.
The branches and roots were thicker here, growing through the walls and arching overhead. Some were small, but most now were at least as wide as his own chest. It made Vajra uneasy. And once the prickling sensation of eyes burned at the back of his neck, he hurried to catch the younger boy. He pulled him back by the hood and whispered, "We're being watched. There might be something ahead so be careful."
"Oh, there is." The childish voice piped up from above, its tone mocking. Vajra and Black Star jumped at the sudden, familiar voice appearing. They turned to it to find Pup lounging lazily on the one of the branches with its long tail swishing through the air. Vajra was quick to tuck the radio in his pocket in case the creature had changed its mind about helping them and went after Adrian. "How unlucky for you though. There's only one way to go besides back. But going back now isn't an option either, is it?"
It turned its head to scan the area with one slow motion. Its tongue clicked. "After all, even if you did go back, it would only be you two. Those false gods would stay here and play with us until Father gets bored and devours them." Its tongue clicked again, a warbling laugh bubbling up as if it was thoroughly enjoying their predicament. "We wouldn't want that though… Would you?"
" 'Course not! We're gonna rescue them and then leave!" Black Star shouted, eyes narrowing in on the beast. It only tilted its head in response, a low rumble resounding from it. This only served to piss off the boy more, his hands balling into fists as he glared up at it. "Y'know! Why don't you give us a hand here!"
"That was my intention. You guys are so lost without your boy toys, even with your new friend to guide you. I honestly doubt your ability to survive without a little… aid." It chittered to itself then, amused by their tense posture. Pushing itself up, it swung its legs over the edge of the branch and leaned forward. "Whatever happens, just go with it. I know something you can use, but you can only get it with Papa. I assure you I will not let you die in Papa's hands. He prefers to keep people alive for a bit anyway."
The casual tone as it spoke of their potential deaths almost made him miss the fact that it told them to walk right into the trap waiting for them ahead. He didn't want to. It felt wrong. Knowing there was a trap meant they should try to avoid it. But strategically speaking, it was plausible if they had a plan. They didn't though, and they weren't even sure what was waiting for them if they did get caught.
Seeing their unease the creature spoke in a tone that was probably meant to be reassuring, but left them more on edge. "If you are worried that father would be involved, then fear not! He is far more interested in your dear friends than a human, spirit, and pseudo-immortal." It stood then, pacing the length of the branch. They followed the movement, flinching as it turned around again and added, "Of course, dying is always an option even if I want you to live."
Black Star opened his mouth to shout at the creature. It paid him no mind as it leapt away with an echoing cackle making its excitement known. A distant, 'Good luck!' was the last they heard of it. With a frown marring his face, Black Star charged after the beast only to be clotheslined by his own hood caught in Vajra's hand. His legs slid out from under him and he landed on his butt with an annoyed yelp.
"Hey! Let go! Are we really gonna let that fucker get away again?!" He thrashed in the man's hold, grabbing his arm and clawing at it until he heard a pained hiss and was dropped. Quickly standing, he rounded on the man with his teeth bared. "Why'd you stop me? We need answers and that guy probably has 'em! We can just beat them outta it if it doesn't wanna talk!"
"You'll probably lose a limb in the process though. And it did say it had something to help us." Vajra pointed out.
"But we gotta walk into a trap and get captured for it." His anger melted into one of disbelief as he stared at the weapon with wide eyes and raised brows. If he wasn't already speaking, Vajra assumed his chin would have hit the floor.
"Yeah."
Eyeing the man warily, he tried asking again. It was still a struggle to wrap his head around. "We're really gonna walk into a trap like that?"
"Do you have a better idea? We have been following their path since we got here, may as well keep on it and see if there's any way to turn this against them. Plus they may take us right to the central temple." Vajra reasoned, and Black Star froze. He could see the gears turning in the boy's head as he tried to find an answer. Finally he relented, shoulders drooping in an exaggerated way and accompanied by a loud groan.
"...Fiiiiine, but if I die I'll become a powerful ghost and haunt you for eternity cause you'll probably die too." Black Star announced, pointing an accusing finger at him.
Vajra only shrugged, unfazed by the action. "That's fair." And with that he swung the bag off of his shoulder with a quick order to Adrian to remain quiet. The radio was tucked under the purple sweater in the bag for safe keeping and he closed it again before starting for the end of the narrow alleyway. Black Star stayed close on his heels, and in a matter of moments harsh white light met them.
The street here was coated in vines and trees that blocked every way they could possibly have gone. All of the dolls scattered about were a sure sign of an ambush waiting for them. A rustle started behind them and the two peered over their shoulders, watching in horror as the vines wove over the entrance of the alley they had just come from. Sure this was his idea, but the fear was still real. Anything could happen to them now. He just hoped they wouldn't die in the process.
Black Star shifted so they were standing back to back, now able to see everything from all sides. A familiar feeling crept over him, heavy and suffocating as Malice made its presence known. His head whipped around to pinpoint the spirit's location but it was nowhere to be seen. The whispers coming from the radio in Adrian's bag told him it wasn't just his imagination. A static crackle caught their attention, the voice coming from the radio different than the one they'd come to know. "A shame it has to end like this. I quite enjoyed watching you scurry around like rats. But my lord grows tired of you two, so you belong to me now."
Golden flowers bloomed along the vines and in the branches of the trees. Their sickly sweet smell overpowered all else, mucking up their senses with a dizzying swirl of black and bleak whites. Vajra covered his mouth and nose instinctively but it was too late. The dizziness got worse as he struggled to keep his eyes open. The thump of something hitting the floor grabbed his attention and he spun around to find Black Star unconscious on the pavement. He knelt beside the boy, shaking him frantically. It didn't kill him, right? The boy groaned at the disturbance, though he didn't move an inch.
The presence of Malice shifted behind him and Vajra tensed at their close proximity. Its voice came out clear this time, not muffled by the clothes in Adrian's bag or jumbled by radio static. "You are quite a tough one, hmmm~? Most people would be out by now." Malice...no, Adrian called it Huli Jing, gave him no time to respond. Pain split across the side of his head, knocking him off his already unsteady feet. He rolled over to see the spirit looming over him, long, wild hair framing an unmoving porcelain face. The same face as the man who had fallen into the abyss.
The sound of creaking resounded around him, muffled as the dolls surrounding them began to move. The last thing he heard as his consciousness finally escaped him was the spirit's muffled voice, "Hmm… Well, you are pretty at least. I suppose you'll do."