Arson shivered as his eyes swept the shadows of the underworld. Trish didn't look particularly alarmed. Neither did Siren. Arson wondered how it was that he was so scared when the others weren't. Maybe it was because he knew what Razzia's full power was. Maybe it was because he knew properly the enormity of what he was trying to do. The others, they were ignorant to his true power.
Trish noted the expression of terror in his eyes, though the rest of his face looked as though it had been carved out of stone. Siren nudged him impatiently, almost making him lose his balance.
'Well? Are we going or what? Are we just going to stand here and admire the view all the time?' Arson looked at her in disbelief. Yes…he thought grimly. Yes let's all go and speed on towards our deaths. Let's welcome death with open arms.
'I was hoping that we could wait for a while.' Trish looked at him curiously.
'Why?' Arson looked ahead fixedly.
'Because I know that Dante's alive.' Trish looked shocked by this.
'What? How d'you know?' Arson took a deep breath.
'Trish…you know as well as I do that you and Dante weren't meant to be. At least, in the future you weren't. But now that you're alive, now that we kept you from death…anything's possible…but by now…' Trish's eyes hardened.
'You knew about the fight on the train, didn't you? You knew what would happen. You knew that Dante would get separated and…' her voice petered out. Arson lowered his eyes and sighed. Siren walked a pace forwards.
'Do we really have to talk about this now? Come on! Let's just go already! Dante can catch up when he comes here!' Arson looked up at her. Trish kept her eyes deliberately away from Arson, choosing instead to focus upon Siren.
'All right.' Arson finally consented. 'I suppose that if we stayed in the same area for too long, we'd soon be attacked. Let's go.' Trish brushed past him roughly, angry and upset. Arson stared after her, looking guilty. He wondered fleetingly whether what his mother had always told him was true; that he was a curse. Right now, it seemed as though he was proving her right.
As they travelled through the underworld, the sky seemed to be turning blood red. The three froze as they heard a chilling scream. Trish paused and frowned.
'What the hell was that?'
'The souls of the damned,' whispered Arson dully. Trish looked around the immediate area they were in. Lava boiled to one side of them. To the other was a deep wall, made entirely out of cement that looked as though nothing would be able to break through. 'They scream when they sense death...and when they sense pain of any kind.'
'Pain is pain though…' said Trish absently. Siren unfolded her arms and looked less moody as Arson explained.
'Pain is pain. You are quite right. But there are two types. Mental pain and physical pain.' The shrill cry sounded again. Arson didn't look surprised. Siren sighed as though bored and tapped her foot on the ground impatiently.
'Come on! Let's just go already!' She turned quickly and marched off. She suddenly slipped upon the ground, which was wet with condensation. She squealed with surprise as she fell of the rock ledge they were on. She slithered towards the lava, coming to an abrupt stop, just inches away from it as Arson quickly grabbed her hand. Arson dragged her up, his brown eyes alight with concern and suppressed fear.
'Be careful!' he practically shouted. Siren snatched her hand away from his and looked at him disdainfully.
'Oh calm down!'
'No, he's right. We'd better take it slowly. If any of us hit that lava, then we're done for.' Trish frowned suddenly. 'I've just had a thought. There doesn't seem to be a way out of here…and this place looks so different from when I was last in here.' Arson nodded, his eyes searching for a way out.
'You only saw a small segment of the Underworld. This is also another small segment. This way!' They followed Arson along the ledge. Arson began studying the rock wall, looking for any cracks. At last, his face broke out into a smile. 'See here? It's a door.' Siren nodded impatiently.
'Yeah? Well we can see that! Open it up already!' Arson reached out towards it, but drew back as there was another wild scream. The three turned around as they heard a strange chuckle. A noise similar to a monkey suddenly reverberated through the narrow corridor. Arson backed up against the wall and looked towards Trish questioningly. Trish looked at him as though shocked.
'You're really new to this kind of thing aren't you?' Arson nodded. Trish groaned. Great. She had a rookie on her hands. 'It's a Nobody.' Arson gave a nervous laugh.
'Dumb name.'
'Maybe so…they're very strong, and dangerous. Their bodies are filled with toxins that are extremely damaging to your health.' Just then one appeared. Arson looked down at it doubtfully as it pranced about, still giving vent to it's war cry.
'It doesn't look that dangerous,' he said at length. Just then, it started to grow in size. Arson backed up again, hitting himself hard on the wall, his eyes growing wide. Trish chuckled.
'Perhaps now it looks dangerous.' Arson suddenly hissed in pain as something like needles dug into his back from behind. Siren looked at him sharply and turned pale as she saw the hand that was thrusting itself through his body, bunching itself into a fist. Arson moaned and staggered forwards, away from the cursed door and straight into the huge arm of the Nobody. Trish took her chance, seeing that it was distracted by Arson. Siren sat down upon the ground and watched the fight, stunned by Trish's power as she raced across the ledge towards the Nobody. Arson flailed about helplessly as the life was choked from him rapidly. He screamed in pain, his voice rising with those of the damned souls as he was battered against the hard baked ground.
'Trish!' he cried, his voice becoming more and more laboured. Siren turned to sort out the door, hoping she could find a way to break through without being hurt herself. The Nobody leapt out of Trish's way, still holding Arson firmly in its grip. The screaming was becoming louder. Trish anticipated its move and went after it, Alastor gripped in her hands, sending thunderous energy travelling through her body.
Trish drove her sword into the Nobody and watched in satisfaction as it began to shrink to its original size, dropping Arson. Siren dodged backwards as the hand reappeared out of the door, stepping on something soft underfoot. She groaned in pain and sank to the floor, feeling fatigued. A sudden tremor ran through her body, causing her to cry out. Arson noted the look on her face as he righted himself and dashed to her side. There were two deafening shrieks. One from the souls and the other from the Nobody as it toppled over backwards into the steaming lava pit.
'Trish!' he cried. 'Something's happened to Siren!' Trish walked over calmly and frowned as she saw Siren's state.
'The toxins. You came into contact with it, didn't you?' Siren shook her head wearily.
'No…I stepped on something…and then…this…' Her head sank against Arson's shoulder as she became more and more weak.
'It will pass soon. Nobodies have the ability to pressurize their blood into certain areas of their body. This lets them detach it to the ground, and those who step on them become weak for a short period of time. You'll be okay.' Arson helped Siren up to her feet, still looking concerned. Siren smiled up at him.
'I…I got the door open…' Arson turned his head to look over his shoulder. The door was indeed open. What lay beyond it was shrouded in velvet darkness. Arson looked around for Trish, but she was already walking towards the door.
'Wait! It could be a trap!' he yelled. Trish paused and turned to look at him coldly.
'Well if it is, then you'd know about it already wouldn't you?' A silvery tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped this away hastily and walked on. Arson dashed in after her.
'I'm being serious!' Siren was about to go in too but then stopped as the door slammed shut in front of her face. A twisted smile played across her features before she hit a secret switch. There was a huge rumble and then another doorway appeared. Siren stepped into it, and was swallowed up by the darkness.
---
Both Trish and Arson flinched as the door closed behind them, trapping them in darkness. There was a minute spark and then the room became filled with light. Arson held a tiny flame in his hands, but even then it had enough strength to light even the darkest corner. It only took Trish a minute to realise where they were. Her face went pale.
'Arson! Blow it out! Now!' Arson obeyed immediately and with a speed that came naturally. Trish had enough time to see the frightened look on his face before darkness returned. 'Are you okay?' There was no answer. Trish groped about in the darkness before she tripped up over Arson, who had sat against the door, drawing his knees up to his chin and hugging them. Trish felt for his hand in the darkness and then sat next to him.
'There's no air in here, is there?' said Arson at length.
'No…'
'That means that if we don't get out soon…we'll be doomed.'
'Don't think like that.'
'I'm sorry Trish. For everything.'
'Something's wrong…isn't it?' There was no reply. 'Talk, Arson.' Arson obeyed without question.
'I'm a curse…it's all I've ever been.' Trish looked towards him, her eyes becoming accustomed to the light.
'Who said that?' No reply. 'Tell me who said that to you.'
'My mother.' Arson leant back and sighed deeply before coughing.
'Breathe lightly. We have to make this last.' Arson had tensed up slightly though. He wordlessly got up and turned towards the door, beating at it with his fists. At length when nothing happened, he barged it with his shoulder, beginning to yell with panic that bordered on the edge of hysteria.
'I can hear you out there! Help us out! Please! Let us out of here!'
---
Dante heard the dim thuds as he passed through the narrow corridor. He dodged backwards as the hand reached out to grab at him. His eyes narrowed as he listened to the faint voices from behind the door. He recognised them instantly. He looked at the door that barred his way and scowled. A Nobody suddenly appeared once again. Dante gave a grim smile as he turned to attack.
---
Arson listened to the sounds of battle, his eyes wide. Trish listened carefully, knowing that Dante was dealing some serious punishment. Something like crystal shattered quite suddenly, causing Arson to leap back in alarm. The two shielded their eyes as light poured in, dazzling them.
Arson cried out in terror as Dante grabbed him roughly and hauled him out of the death trap. He gently helped Trish up to her feet and led her out, allowing himself to be used as a support. Arson blinked, trying to clear his vision of the multicoloured spots that seemed to dance in front of him. His vision cleared to see Dante towering over him. Dante grabbed him by the neck.
'You little shit!' he yelled. 'You stupid little shit!' Arson said nothing but kept quiet. Dante snatched at the chain that he wore around his neck, breaking the latch of the chain. He held up his amulet in front of his eyes, eagerly searching for something that might be slightly different. There was no change. Dante's eyes turned into those of a wild and frenzied beast. Arson's face was drawn with terror.
'I'm related to you? You!' Dante shook him roughly, as Arson tried to struggle free. Tears streaked down his face as Dante dropped him on the dusty ground. Arson looked up at him, his vision blurred because of his tears.
'I'm sorry…' he whimpered. 'Please…I'm so sorry…'
'No you're not! You planned this all to happen! You knew about the accident! You knew I'd lose my memory and end up with another woman! You knew everything!' Dante kicked him roughly in the side, causing him to slide across to the edge of the lava pit.
'Dante…' Trish tried to interfere but Dante cut her off. Arson made no attempt to defend himself as he lay on the ground, totally cowed.
'I thought you were looking out for everyone! You broke Trish's heart! You lied about everything!' Dante shook the amulet one last time, as though hoping it would somehow change. He hurled it at Arson. Arson picked it up mutely. Trish noticed that he was trembling. 'I'm not to blame for anything! This is all your fault! Damn you! I wish I had never been cursed by meeting you!' Arson looked up at him at that point, but said nothing. He tried to fight back his tears, but they still came. No sobs wracked his body, but he was crying, and he was ashamed to admit it. Dante stared at him, as though expecting him to reply. Arson shakily got to his feet and kept his eyes averted from those of Dante's.
'In the future…' he began, his voice shaking. 'In the future…Trish died…and you never got your memory back. You didn't know anything about Trish or about the brave acts you did when defeating Mundus…you forgot everything. Surely it's better this way? You have everything…' Arson swallowed hard, tried to stop himself from crying in front of them. Dante gave him a hard punch to the stomach followed by a roundhouse kick.
'Get out of here! I don't want to see you again!' Arson cried out as he hit the wall hard. Trish ran to his side, concern showing on her face. Arson smacked her hand away and looked up at her, his dark brown eyes filled with a deep sorrow. He suddenly laughed.
'So you see Trish. Not only does my mother think that…but so does he. So does everyone. I plagued your life and I have destroyed his. Who's will I destroy next?' His voice had fallen to a whisper. He flinched as the screams started again, growing louder and louder and more shrill in pitch.
'Val!' he cried. He leapt to his feet with new energy and ran towards the new doorway that he had somehow failed to notice before. Trish paused.
'Siren?' she asked cautiously. There was no reply. Arson ran straight through the doorway without thinking, Dante and Trish following close behind.