Mono yanked on Six's hand as this horrid monstrosity dove down with its talons. Abandoning all hope of fighting back against this dark cold wind. Still fighting the urge to throw up from the wind's handiwork. Hundreds of children's skulls so many lives taken and for what? A wager, a contest against two different forces. What kind of sick monster prides itself in taking the lives of children for fun. Mono realized it acted just like the Tower in its own demented way. Only for entertainment did this Wind take lives. In that moment Mono saw an enemy with no way to defeat it. Now? The only choice was to run in the hopes that they could somehow hide in the town buildings far off in the distance. Testing his luck while they were running Mono tried to activate his teleportation abilities. Focusing on the town entrance he tried so hard only for him to get a splitting headache and a sharp pain behind his left silver eye. Running from this devilish wind he only had one thought running through his head.
'What wouldn't I give, besides Six, to teleport right now.'
They both ran through the once yellowed grainy fields now turned dark and gray with the wind literally at their backs. Every step forward, a desperate attempt to further and further away from this thing. The sky turning a dark stormy gray and the fields a lifeless landscape as the wind tore it apart it. Scattering both plant matter and animal bodies flying into dust as the North Wind chased the two of them.
Six took a chance and looked back her eyes widening in fear. Three sharp winds raced towards them. The Wind reaching out trying to shred them with its power. Six pulled Mono to the side as the Wind contacted the ground separating the dirt and dust. Scars in the grainy landscape. Six in her desperation grabbed Mono and began trying to use her power to do anything against this creature.
The Wind already made it clear their powers couldn't kill it. After all Six's offensive powers only worked on things that actually had a soul, and lives and dies. Wind can't necessarily die because it was never truly born. It can only dissipate but neither had the ability to make wind do that. Six just wanting to get further from this thing suddenly didn't feel the ground under her feet. Looking down she understood why.
Black smoke began billowing out from her legs propelling herself forward with Mono in tow. Both racing forward as they evaded the Wind's continuous slashes. The ground tossed up as the raging tornado behind them only grew ever slowly closer to them. Gaining ground as the duo saw the entrance of the town in the distance. A small archway with a cobblestone road and on both sides of the arch was an anchor. Pushing ever onward Six kept gliding across the ground this time Mono looking behind them.
The Wind dispelled the tornado once again transforming, this time, into a wolf. Its mouth dripping with expecting drool. It chased them with such vigor as if the two were a meal it hadn't eaten in a long time. Its eye looking with the intent to destroy, to win, and something else… fear?
Mono only looked back as the two of them crossed the threshold of the archway. Six who was still flying forward when she crossed the entrance was surprised when the black smoke suddenly disappeared sending her tumbling into the streets rolling for a good while.
Mono seeing this went to go pick Six up from the floor before hearing the snarling from behind him. The Wind still in wolf form was making a mad dash and Mono could tell. It didn't care about Six it only cared about Mono in that moment. Mono paralyzed with fear couldn't move as the jaws drew closer and closer. He cowered waiting to open his eyes in the green country again. Realizing there would be no happy ending with Six for him.
However, once the Wind reached the entrance to the town it was suddenly repelled. As if it just ran into a glass wall and bounced of it. Shaking its head of the daze the Wind tried again this time as a bird. Same result. Again, the Wind tried slashing into this invisible barrier. Nothing. The Wind tried pulling Mono towards him through the barrier. Its power didn't answer its request. Angry the Wind shifted into a towering figure. Easily as tall as the Thin Man and made of a red vapor. His head was pointed with two identical horns poking out the side of its head. It desperately reached out for Mono.
"No NO NOO!! Get Over Here You Pestilent Child!!!" Mono taking a step back to help Six back onto her feet. Both watching in both fear and awe as the North Wind struggled to fight to grab Mono.
"Why Am I Being Stopped Like This?!" The Wind looking at its surroundings trying to figure out what was causing this. The Wind turned its head to the side and then glowered. Mono and Six following its gaze more looking on in confusion. On either side of the arch there was an anchor plainly made of wood.
"This Place Bears His Mark? Are You Serious?!!!" The Wind screamed in frustration. Now ignoring Mono and Six to rant to itself. "Why Ferryman do you make this harder on us? We had a chance to stop this. Our wager could have finally ended without any CYCLE getting in the way."
This alerted Mono instantly as the Wind said this, "Wait you know about the cycles?"
The North Wind suddenly stood up straight turning back to look at Mono, "Why yes boy I know about the cycles after all they've been resetting the whole entire world just for one creature to attain immortality." The Wind walking ever closer to the edge of town. Placing its hand on the barrier it shrunk down to Mono's level.
"And I know exactly what I must do to stop them entirely. You've already neutralized the Tower, but I can't risk the possibility of someone with similar powers doing the same thing. I have to kill you and the girl and trust me if it weren't for the Ferryman's nullifying symbol, you'd be dead." Its arms turning sharp as it tried to stab Mono only to be stopped again. Growling the Wind shifted back into wolf form and started sidestepping the two of them in a semicircle fashion.
"It doesn't matter to me seeing as now you are trapped. You have two ways out of there." The Wind said with a chilling whisper. "Either you leave the city barrier and end up being shredded to death by me or… you can die to one of the monsters in this derelict town. I highly recommend you choose me, seeing as how I still have a wager to win and I'll at the very least make it quick and painless."
Six having heard enough of the Wind's words tried activating her powers to get away from the Wind with Mono in tow. Only to find that the smoke wasn't pouring out from her body as it did before.
Not a wisp.
Mono seeing this tried to pull the static from his fingers at the North Wind.
Same result, Nothing happened.
Not even a flicker.
The Wind curled its lip back in smile noticing this, "You didn't think that rule only applied to me, did you? All creatures whether they be forces of nature like me, eldritch monsters like the Tower, golems and elementals made to serve, ancient spirits of impulses like the Monster, or brats that could potentially start a cycle of madness over again." All know the Ferryman's symbol of suppression. We know that near him your powers weigh you down."
The Wind paused to look down at the two only to look on in confusion. While Six was frantically trying to activate her abilities. Mono… Mono looked relieved in a way after hearing that.
"WHY DO YOU FEEL RELIEF BOY? I know you, you craved power above all else the first time around."
Mono looked back in defiant calmness, "Because I've never enjoyed using my abilities Wind. I only use them to protect Six from further harm. I would sacrifice anything including my powers to save her life. Besides, you said the one who started all this had a wish for immortality. I do not for I have seen the beautiful shores and far green country. I have nothing to run from for I've seen what awaits me. I wasn't willing to stay on the white shores, so I gave up my ability to teleport just to be by her side again."
THAT gave the Wind pause, the winds slowly calming down. "You've seen the fields of Elysium?! The world deemed YOU worthy of peace!?" The Wind pondered on those words for a few seconds before giving a neutral smile. "Then perhaps you are different from your predecessors, both of you. Since I am a fan of wagers, I offer you this. Prove your worth by surviving this town. Take as much time as you need but I have ONE single rule. Don't kill anyone living or otherwise. If you find a way to escape by other means you win, and the game is up. If one soul here is harmed by your hands, I'll drag you down to HELL!"
The Wind then took to the skies above as its mass grew larger and larger. A massive hurricane surrounded the Revenant Town. The eye of the storm ever watchful of the two as they made their way inside.
Mono started walking into the center of town with Six quickly following.
"Mono what are we going to do? Without our powers we're sitting ducks here."
"Are you truly so dependent on your powers that much Six? Haven't you learned that you could depend on me to keep you safe?"
"I wish I weren't so dependent. I liked the ability to be able to fight back."
"But that's one of the reasons the Wind chased us. Because our predecessors fell to our impulses and may have started all this. Gained our powers and started the cycle only to be servants of it later on."
"Doesn't that bother you? Knowing that we may have started all this."
"I doubt it was just us Six and even then, I don't hate this life I've been given. After all, I got to meet you and I certainly don't regret leaving heaven, Elysium, Valhalla, or whatever it's called for you."
Six hugged Mono's arm, when he said that. Knowing that this Mono, her Mono, would never be the starting point for another set of cycles like the Wind implied.
Mono stopped walking to turn around and accept her warm embrace as she looked up. Eyes full of acceptance and hope as she smiled up at him.
"Now I believe the best thing to do would be to scour the town. We can scavenge for supplies as well as finding another way out of here."
The two walked into town a nearby sign torn apart with the remaining letters spelling out the word R-E-V-E-N-A-N-T. It clearly fit seeing as the buildings within looked run down. Barely alive the town was quiet Mono noticed as he looked up to a familiar sight. Clothes hung down from wires and some from out of windows. This town like the Pale City had been affected by the Signal Tower as well.
'The Tower didn't actively try to use his power on this town specifically. Only through the TVs was it able to affect people passively.'
His thoughts interrupted as the window in front of them exploded with two Viewers fighting each other. One of them was littered in bruises and the other was missing an arm. Six pulled Mono to the side hiding from their gaze. The Viewers actively screaming in each other's face. Fighting for dominance as one of the Viewers pinned the other to the wall with its hands grasped firmly at the other's throat. Mono and Six could only listen as they heard one of screams die down before a small snap. The Viewer victor only looking down at the body for a second before screeching out. It listened for a few seconds before dashing away into an alley. Mono and Six heard a voice in their head as they looked up to the storm.
"I don't count that against you two. As long as you don't purposefully kill them, you're still in this game." The Wind giving them a cold reminder.
Hand in hand they both walked precariously around the fallen Viewer. Although Six did walk up to its head a gave it a couple of kicks.
"Really Six? Really?"
"Just making sure it was unconscious."
Shaking his head Mono moved onwards towards the center of the town after Six kicked the body a couple more times. The town didn't look much better as they went to the inner circle. There was life in this derelict place but it was clear that it was once a bustling crossroads with shops lining the streets. Most likely this was a place that travelers would stop at to get supplies for the long road ahead or to rest before reaching the main city. Mono and Six entered the Town Square and it was horrifying. Bodies littered the ground some of them Viewers others regular people, and some of them… Oh God.
Mono ran forward to cobblestone statue seeing a figure laying on the ground before it. Six not understanding at once what caused Mono to just dash ahead. That is until she got closer. Cradling in his arms Mono was holding the body of a child. Six stifled a gasp backing up slightly. Six looked up to the sky and Wind only glared back at her and Mono. Not believing they actually cared about a random child. The body in question was without its head blood still fresh from a wound that had to have been quite recent. Six seeing this quickly took note of their surroundings when a sharp shriek pierced their eardrums. Clutching their heads, they listened as what sounded like the banging of a drum as the sound grew closer and closer. Mono wiping his eyes of tears set the body down and ran away back towards the edge of the square. Six hiding behind a trash can got Mono's attention and pointed at the source.
Standing a good 50 feet away from them was a shrewd figure. Its head was shrewd and birdlike. Eyeball somehow sunken and bulging at the same time. Hands were continuously twitching and groping the air as if reaching for something. Examining the arms Mono noticed the brass the being was carrying. Its slender frame carrying all forms of brass twisted around its arms, legs, and torso. Holes were punctured in the metal and were often covered in flaps. Every step this thing took a paddle would strike the large drum it continued its back. Reverberating as the creature looked around checking for discrepancies. It took another step towards them the paddle striking the drum again. Mono then realized what it was doing. It's using the sound of the drum checking to see what the soundwaves encounter. Just as it got closed the same Viewer covered in bruises entered the square. The One Lady Band turned around and gave that ear piercing shriek as all the flaps opened releasing a cacophony of chaos. Dashing towards the Viewer it grabbed a pair of jagged cymbals from the front of its body and began attacking with them. Clapping the Viewers head to discombobulate it and continuously scratching at it. Until it finally got tired of its tirade of musical mayhem and sliced off this Viewers head.
Six and Mono began walking backwards into the shadow as the One Lady Band began searching the body for anything of value. Finally thinking nothing of worth on the body it stood up and began prowling the Town Square.
"Okay so… in the case of that one we just need to give it a wide berth. It's blind relying more on sound than it is on sight to find prey." Mono deduced.
"Uh Mono why are you so focused on finding out what that creature is? We should be spending our time finding a way out of here."
"You're right Six but until we do so we need to know the lay of the land before doing so. How do you think I knew how to avoid the Hunter before I met you? I scoped out the forest looked for strengths and weaknesses against both him and I. For right now I agree that we need to leave as soon as possible but we should at least find a place to set up camp."
It took a while for them to agree on a building of rest. They ended up deciding on an abandoned library figuring that the Viewers who were roaming around would not venture to a place with no TVs. Treading lightly the two explored their temporary home. It was a one story building clearly left alone judging by the amount of dirt and dust lining both book and shelf. They opted to hide behind the librarian's desk giving them a little hiding space. Six decided to try and make the small a little more comfortable while Mono would check for threats. As Mono looked over the shelves his mind couldn't help but go back to school.
'Heh, that's still satisfying to think about.' Remembering the Tower Flesh's screams of pain as it burned away, it put a small smile on his face.
Nodding those thoughts away he explored the library examining the shelves and books when one of them caught his eye. A small black book perfectly sized for his hands poked out of one of the shelves. Reaching down he pulled it off the shelf. Blowing dust of it he could read the title.
"Greetings of the Flesh and Other Horrors of the World" by one I.D. Hatebreak. He opened it flipping through the pages and much to his shock dropped the book when it landed on a page. The Eye… it was staring right back at him. It shook him when the fact was clear that people knew about the Flesh that warped the world. Picking the book back up he flipped through more of the pages seeing what else this, "HateBreak" knew. Flipping through pages he stopped at another he paused when he remembered something the Wind mentioned.
The image displayed on this page was a humanoid creature, but it was definitely not human. Possibly even worse than any human monster they'd faced. It was also given a vague name for what this creature was, The Monster.
The page depicted a hunched over figure but not completely crouched over. It stood tall described as being taller than any man. Its head adorned in a bony crown of thorns if not antlers. The image depicted it cradling a man. Not out of comfort as the image showed the Monster's over elongated jaw dripped with blood and meat coming from the man's body. The man clearly revealed still alive as his mouth was opened in scream. Mono had to close the book after that. Intrigued however he pocketed it for information later. He continued his search to make sure of no threats. He did turn around to head back when he spotted something in the rafters. What looked like threads of an old curtain billowed downwards. Shaking his blaming his imagination walked back towards the camp.
Six had borrowed his coat and her raincoat to make the hardwood floor a little comfier. She laid down patting the ground beside her. Mono with a small smile got the message as he laid down next to her. Wrapping an arm around her he fell into a deep sleep. Six feeling the Mono had started sleeping nestled further into his embrace and closed her eyes.
Neither of them noticed the fleshy tendrils slowly descending upon Mono whilst asleep.