Disclaimer: I do not own Maplestory in anyway.
A/N: Wow… almost half a year…. I'm so sorry! I know I probably can continue to say it and it would mean absolutely nothing since… I've disappointed you guys. I have tons of excuses, but I feel like they're just excuses that aren't worth saying really. Anyway, here's the finished version of the special. Enjoy!
Chapter Fourteen Point Five: A Mysterious Special
The moon was covered by storm clouds in the sky high above Ereve. The wind blew strongly through the trees as a storm was approaching in the distance. The sound of thunder rumbled and shook the land as lightening lit up the sky. Inside one of the marvelous chambers, Empress Cygnus was quietly enjoying tea with her Chief Knights: Mihile, Oz, Irena, and Hawkeye. Shinsoo was resting quietly behind Empress Cygnus's chair. Neinheart, along with Eckhart however, were both missing from the chamber. A quiet chuckle came from the women as Hawkeye said something funny. Mihile smiled softly at the scene unfolding around him.
"Where did Neinheart disappear off to?" Hawkeye asked once he realized the man was missing from the chamber. Empress Cygnus glanced around in wonder and puzzlement.
"Wasn't he just here?" Mihile replied softly as he picked up a pastry and plopped it into his mouth. Irena shivered as a chill flowed through the chamber walls.
"He was working on something by the door earlier." Oz answered as she placed more snacks down onto the table top. Oz refilled Irena's cup with more herbal tea. "He seemed a bit fidgety, like something bad was going to happen." Empress Cygnus eyes made it over toward the door and she screamed out in fright. Mihile was on his feet in milliseconds with his sword drawn. Hawkeye stood ready to pounce. Irena's bow was armed and aimed. Oz blinked as she moved her head to see what it was; dropping the teapot in shock. On the marble floor under the crack of the door was a dark crimson liquid pooling into the chamber. Oz gulped once she realized. "…whose blood is that?" None of the occupants of the room could reply. They all stood there staring at it. Shinsoo opened his eyes and nudged Empress Cygnus to her feet. The group could hear footprints coming closer on the other side of the door. Pitch black…the lights went out.
"Be on guard, Knights." Shinsoo whispered gently and comfortingly. Suddenly there was a scratching noise echoing on the door. Mihile stood protectively in front of Cygnus. The scratching got louder and louder, before it unexpectedly went silent. The door knob slowly turned. Everyone was ready to fight in order to protect their Empress. The door swung open yet nothing was there, just the puddle of blood and the dark hallway. Empress Cygnus pointed at the blood shakily when lightening lit up the chamber. There were footprints in the blood and they were coming closer toward the group.
"Help me…," an eerie whisper echoed throughout the chamber, "help… me… help... me…." The voice sent shivers and a bit of fear down their spines. "Help me… HELP ME!" Empress Cygnus buried her head into Shinsoo's feathers frightened. The lightening lit up the room again, Mihile jumped in shock. Two bloody eyes were staring right into his, merely a feet away from him. There was blood coming out of the thing's mouth and ears. It stretched its bloody hand toward Mihile. "Help me…" Mihile took an unconscious step backwards. "Help me…" Oz froze as something wet touched her leg. She glanced down at her feet and screamed. A bloody hand grasped itself on her right calf muscle. She tried to shake the hand off, when that failed she took her staff and swatted it like it was a fly. She casted a fire spell and watched it burn. Mihile attacked it as it got too close. "WHY WON'T YOU HELP ME?"
"Irena, Oz, get Empress Cygnus out of here!" Mihile commanded as he swung his sword at the monstrosity again. There was no response. Mihile took a look over his shoulder. "What…?" No one was behind him. The table with the snacks was no longer there. "Empress Cygnus…Irena…Oz…Hawkeye…Shinsoo… where are you guys?"
"Help me… help me…." The voice whispered eerily throughout the darkness. "Help me…. Won't you help me?" A bloody hand grasped Mihile's left shoulder as the blood dripped down his armor. Mihile turned his head slowly to the left. The bloody eyes starred back at him. "Help me?" It asked weakly. Mihile felt his energy drain from his body as he slowly collapsed to the cold floor unconscious. His lifeless eyes wide open starring into the darkness. "Why won't you help me?" The voice questioned stronger.
Irena felt the grass beneath her feet and the rain on her face. She blinked as the wind whipped around her angrily. "Where…?"
"Won't you help me?" the voice whispered among the wind. Irena snapped her head toward the voice. "You won't help me?" The wind blew rougher and stronger. "THEN I"LL MAKE YOU!" Irena felt the wind attack her from all angles. She tried to find somewhere to hide from the wind, but it was almost impossible. There was nowhere the wind could not go. It existed everywhere as air. Blood dripped down her once perfect skin.
"Empress Cygnus… everyone… run…." Irena screamed as the wind cut through her stomach. Irena saw a figure in the distance as her eyes closed. Her limp body hit the ground as a puddle of blood formed around her.
Hawkeye stood in a clearing completely soaked from the heavy rain. "…How interesting, we got separated. I hope the Empress is alright." Hawkeye walked through the clearing with a sense of dread. He looked at the scene around him. The trees looked ominous within the shadows. There was incoherent whisperings all around him. Somehow the whisperings seem to get louder the closer to the chamber he got. He heard a twig snap behind him. Hawkeye spun around with his fists ready to attack whatever came at him. He blinked at the sight. "A walking shark? A bloody walking shark? Wow…never thought I'd ever get to see the day when fish walked the land."
"You'll help me?" the shark said with a spark of hope. Hawkeye blinked at the talking shark, blood started coming out of the shark's mouth. Hawkeye stepped back unconsciously at the sight suddenly afraid. "You're a former pirate won't you help out a shark your friend?" Hawkeye continued to back away when he hit something strong and soft. Hawkeye looked up and saw another shark just as bloody, if not more, as the one standing in front of him.
"You left your pirate friends for the Empress…. You left us for more power, fame, and glory. You abandoned your comrades. You left us, your friends, to be swallowed by the deep ocean."
"No… I… I didn't betray you…. I wouldn't do that…. No stop it…" Hawkeye covered his ears with his hands. The sharks continuously mocked him for betraying his former pirate friends. "STOP IT!" Hawkeye felt a liquid on his hands. He brought it down so he could see them. Blood covered his entire hand. His eyes widen in shock and fright. Hawkeye could feel the blood dripping from his ears. "How…when…?" Hawkeye glance up at the sharks. He felt them smile hungrily. "Dang it, sorry Empress Cygnus, everyone; looks like the jokester won't be the last one laughing this time." He smiled sadly as the sharks attacked him.
Empress Cygnus stood next to Shinsoo all nervous and frightened. Oz stood next to her with her staff in her hands shaking. The room was still dark and the two of them could no longer feel the other three knights within the chamber. Shinsoo was keeping a small barrier up around the Empress, Oz, and himself. The three of them tensed as they heard a dark chuckle echo throughout the chamber.
"Good Evening, Empress." The voice whispered forebodingly. Lightening lit up the room allowing the three to get a good view of the figure. He was dressed in a cloak stained in blood. "Your three knights didn't really put up a good fight. In fact, it couldn't even be considered as a fight. I'd say your tactician put up a better fight than they did." The figure threw a body between them. Empress Cygnus gasped in shock. It was Neinheart.
"Neinheart! Neinheart! Wake up, please!" Cygnus yelled out in worry. "Neinheart! No, what did you do to them?" Tears were running down her cheeks. "What do you want with us?"
"Nothing really. Or was it something? I can't seem to remember?" The figure answered sarcastically. Cygnus clasped her hands over mouth in worry. Oz held her staff tightly and at aim to fire. "Oh, I remember now. I won't tell you however since that would be what traditional villains do."
"Empress… Cygnus…" Neinheart muttered out weakly. "You must… not stay here… he'll torment you…." Blood seeped out of a bodily wound onto the floor around him. The figure walked over toward him and stepped on Neinheart's body. "URGH!"
"Neinheart!" Oz yelled out in concern. "Stop, you're killing him!" She shot a fire bolt at the figure. The figure merely extinguished it with his bare hands.
"No worries little Blaze Wizard. You're next." The figure walked swiftly over to the barrier after leaving Neinheart to bleed to death. "How should I get rid of you my little Blaze Wizard?" The figure clapped his hands together happily. "Oh I know. Torment would always crack you enough." Oz stepped back in fear.
"You can't attack me from that side of the barrier!" Oz retorted weakly. The figure laughed softly.
"You think I can't torment you from here? How do you think I got rid of your fellow knights? By attacking them physically? Nope, I attacked them mentally first." The figure put a bloody hand on the barrier. "Who will save you?"
"I'll save myself and my friends!" Oz shouted at the figure angrily. "You can't torment me! I'll defeat you and save everyone! They would have done the same for me!" Empress Cygnus was hugging Shinsoo tightly behind Oz. "Eckhart taught me to believe in my friends!"
"Eckhart huh? Where is he then? He's not here helping you. In fact where has he been this entire time? What faith did he teach you? The one you believe in isn't here to save you. I wouldn't be surprise if he was siding with the Black Mage the entire time. Now wouldn't that be ironic, him fighting against those he supposedly called friends." The figure questioned with a smirk. "Answer me, where is Eckhart hmm?"
"He's…" Oz muttered while looking down at the ground. "He's…"
"Hahaha you don't know where he is. No worries, I assume he's long gone by now. Long betrayed all of Maple World and especially the Empress and you. Hahahaha!" The figure removed his bloody hand from the barrier. "How long can you leave this barrier up, Shinsoo? How long can you protect your Emp…." Oz stared in shock at the blood that splattered on the barrier. Empress Cygnus glanced at the figure. Going right through his lungs was a sword, the one wielding it was an extremely tired and bloody Neinheart. "How…?"
"Never… attack… my… Empress… or… her… knights…." Neinheart spluttered out weakly. Blood was dripping down his chin and neck. The figure moved a shaking hand to his chest and the sword. "Don't… under… estimate… us…."
A loud crash was heard throughout the cabin. Umbra glanced up at Eckhart who was breathing heavily on the floor tangled in his bed sheets. Sweat was rolling down the side of his neck and cheek. He had one hand on his chest as if he was in pain. Umbra strode over to Eckhart and sat down quietly on the floor next to him.
"You alright, Eckhart?" Umbra nudged silently. "A nightmare?" Eckhart peeked at Umbra with haunted eyes. "Are you in pain?" Eckhart remained silent. "Come on, answer me."
"I… feel… like… I've been stabbed." Eckhart leaned onto Umbra's shoulder tiredly. "Wake me when dawn comes…." Umbra sighed softly, before picking Eckhart up and laying him back on his bed.
"It's been a long time since you had a nightmare…." Umbra walked off to find a bowl and a small towel. He then returned and wiped away the sweat. "Let sleep take you to a place more peaceful than your own mind."
The Next Morning – Early Dawn
The sky above Ereve was welcoming the bright and beautiful sunrise. Umbra walked around Eckhart's cabin cleaning up messes here and there. When the light hit his eyes, Umbra closed the blinds in annoyance. He walked over to Eckhart who slept as peacefully as possible after such a nightmare.
"Eckhart it's early dawn, wake up." Umbra whispered softly. Eckhart opened a tired eye and nodded. He sat up and stretched before getting dressed for the day. After he was done, he went over to his usual spot in the Knight's Chamber and waited for his fellow Chief Knights to arrive in the chamber. Surprisingly, Empress Cygnus was the first one to wake and join Eckhart in the Knight's Chamber.
"Good Morning, Eckhart. I'm not surprised that you're the first one here yet again." Cygnus said softly as she went over to Shinsoo. Eckhart merely nodded in response. As the others came in, Eckhart felt a bit of his peace return as he saw them all safe and alive. Neinheart came in after them and started yelling at Hawkeye for doing something idiotic so early in the morning.
A/N: Hope this chapter was good. Anyway, Review if you could. It would make my day and tell me how many people are still reading this story after such a long absence. See you all next chapter.