Warning: Graphic/Violent descriptions. Blood

This is not the final copy nor is it (obviously) finished, I'm not sure where to go atm so I'm looking for some input and ideas.

No PoV

"Damn" Lewis groaned. "I'm screwed."

"Lewis..." Vivi questioned accusingly. "What's going on? Who did they find?"

Unable to think of a convincing lie, Lewis remained quiet.

"Lewis!" She frowned, upset with the magenta ghost. When he still didn't answer she shoved passed him, Mystery following close behind, and made her way to Arthur's room.

Lewis cringed when he heard the sound of a terrified gasp followed by a scream coming from Vivi. 'Aand she went in Arthur's room.' He groaned inwardly. 'Knew I forgot something.'

She rushed back out, dry heaving in the trash bin in the kitchen. Lewis attempted to comfort her but she swatted his had away and stood up.

Arthur PoV

"What the hell did you do!" I yelled in disbelief, the knife fell from my hand and landed with a clang. I couldn't even begin to process what I was seeing. Vivi laid in the center of my living room, there was blood around her that was soaking into the carpet. Her back was turned to me so I couldn't tell if she was breathing or the extent of her wounds.

I stood in the doorway, paralyzed by the shock. Bile rose in the back of my throat but I had to push it back, Vivi needed me and fast. Once I got over the initial shock, I raced over to her.

"God, please don't let me be too late!" I begged, dropping to my knees. I tried to be careful to not hurt her any further as I lay my hand on her shoulder.

If I had any food in my system I would have lost it all as soon as I had turned her on to her back.

A long cut resided on her neck and her torso contained more stab wounds than I cared to count. I spent maybe five entire minutes dry heaving in a fetal position, screaming my lungs out.

"Oh, god. Vivi. I'm so sorry~" I apologized over and over, knowing it would do no good. "It's all my fault! I should have fought harder!"

"Ar~thur~" I snap my head up when I hear Mystery's weak voice call out. I glance around to see mystery in the doorway of the kitchen. Upon closer inspection, he was in just as bad shape as Vivi. Blood dirtied his once white fur and he looked like he could barely move.

"Mystery!" I cried out as I made my way towards my canine companion. However, before I could get close enough to touch him Mystery began struggling to get away from me.

"NO! Don't come any closer!" I froze from his hysterical plea.

'I really did do this, didn't I?'

"What happened?" I questioned, knowing the answer.

"You happened!" He snapped before he broke out in a pain filled cough. "Why didn't you fight it off? You let it do this to us! You killed everyone! Lewis. Vi-Vivi. ME! I tried to help you! And this is what I get."

"No, Mystery- I-" Mystery's eyes rolled into the back of his head as his body went limp.

"I should have killed you when you killed Lewis, screw the promise. You don't deserve to be protected!" He growled before his eyes rolled into the back of his head as his body went limp.

NO! No no no no nonononono! MYSTERY!" I screamed my lungs out, I couldn't stop the flood of tears that rolled down my face. I felt my heart shatter, crushed under the weight of all this guilt and sorrow.

"YOU promised!" I yelled at the demon, I could feel its grin creeping in the back of my mind. "You lied." I realized with dread.

"You did this to them before, didn't you? You made me believe I had a chance."

Its laugh was all the confirmation I needed as I fell to my knees once more sobbing my heart out. I fight the urge to not look at the damage I caused, but I knew I deserved to suffer for my actions more than I already have.

I what I saw shocked me a lot. I wasn't where I was a second ago.

Mystery and Vivi's bodies were gone, as was my home. What replaced it was the cold, damp, cave that was at one time glowing an eerie green.

'Was I here the whole time? Was what I saw not real?'

The knife I had dropped before was once again in my hand, blood still staining the edges causing me to remember the burning in my side.

The blood dried at some point and it still hurt like hell but I couldn't bring myself to care about it. I deserved to feel more pain than this... To bleed out and die a slow death.

But what about Vivi and Mystery? Could they be alive? Or was that another way of raising my hopes up only to have them crushed by reality?

I couldn't bring myself to feel relieved, instead, I felt nothing but emptiness. I had no clue what was real anymore. Breathing alone felt like an impossible task after the crap I've seen and done.

"I can't take this anymore! I never had a chance! You played me from the very beginning."

I clench my teeth. I feel nothing but anger at that demon for putting me through this hell. I'm angry at Mystery for not killing me when he had the chance. I'm angry with Vivi for making us go into that damned cave. Angry at the world that always seems to want me to suffer. I'm angry at Lewis for not taking his revenge on me like he should have.

Most of all... I'm angry at myself. For being so damned weak. For not being able to keep my emotions in check. For feeling the way I did about someone who was already clearly happy with someone else. For allowing all of this to happen and hurting the most important people to me. For letting myself kill my best friend.

I began banging my head against the ground as hard as I could manage, dropping the knife in the process. I did that several times, hoping to whatever god was out there that the demon was also feeling the pain I did.

After the third or fourth hit, I became numb. I barely noticed the warm liquid as it slid down my forehead, dripping to the ground like water.

'If you truly wish to save them and be rid of me there is only one way to do so.'

'Throw yourself off this cliff.'

'That doesn't seem like such a bad idea.' I chuckled at the thought then I noticed how close I had actually been to the edge of the trai0l- to the exact spot Lewis had once been. I knew something was up if that demon wanted me to leap to my death, but at that moment...

I did NOT care. I took small gradual steps towards the edge.

I was done! Three more steps and it would all be over. Maybe.

With the demon. Two.

With my screwed up life. One.

With everything. 'It's now or never.'

Lewis PoV

If I weren't dead before, I would so be now. Vivi stood in front of me, glaring daggers as she waited for answers.

"Lewis! Explain. Now." Vivi demanded. "Where is Arthur and WHY is there so much blood in his room?"

I had no choice, I had to come clean.

"I don't know. When I got here he was already missing. I figured he might be nearby and I didn't want to worry you so I got my deadbeats to search for him." I explained.

"Are you serious, Lewis?!" Vivi snapped. "What is wrong with you? He could be really hurt out there or worse and instead of telling me you lied."

I felt the guilt rise inside of me, not for Arthur but for (once again) lying to Vivi.

"Anything else you've been keeping from me that you'd like to share? You know, before I find out on my own." She asked. When I didn't respond she sighed.

"Look, I know you and Arthur have been keeping something from me and frankly I'm tired of it. Whatever it is you two are keeping from me I deserve to know!"

I was about to respond when an annoyed sounding voice I've never heard before interrupted me.

"Enough! We don't have time for this!" Vivi and I looked around until the sound of someone clearing their throat, leading us to...

"Mystery?!" Vivi gasped, shocked but I could see a twinkle in her eyes. The same twinkle she gets every time she sees something amazing. I, on the other hand, could only stare at the creature.

"Did you just..." Vivi began to question.

"Yes, I can speak. There's not a lot of time to explain. Lewis! Your deadbeats located Arthur, correct?"

I nod, unsure why a talking dog- or whatever he was- seemed to be so concerned about someone who would murder their best friend in cold blood.

"Ask it where he is. We must hurry. He could be in very serious danger." He ordered.

Should I? I mean if what Mystery is saying is true then I could finally be rid of that traitor for good... But at the same time, I could feel something deep in my chest. Like I knew I had to.

It was something I hadn't felt in a long time. Something I constantly kept suppressed since my death.

I was concerned.

For Arthur? Maybe it was the way Mystery seemed to be freaking out over Arthur's disappearance. Enough so to reveal what I can only imagine was his biggest secret."Sora!" I announced. I couldn't just let Authur bleed to death who knows where. I may hate his guts but I'm not heartless.

'I'm not like him.'

"Where is his location."

If I had a stomach I could swear I would have felt it drop to the ground when it answered the cave he had killed me in.

"Why the fudgenuts would Arthur be back there?! More importantly, how did he get there? That place is over four hours away- by van! The van is still here so he couldn't have driven there." Vivi near shouted.

"That doesn't make any sense." I agreed. Besides he last time we went there he the place terrified him.

"Besides he last time we went there he was absolutely terrified of the place. Why would he ever want to go back there?" She continued.

"He didn't." Mystery replied, much to our confusion.

"What do you mean by that?" I ask.

"I'll explain on the way, but right now we need to hurry." He exclaimed as he rushed out the house.

I'm not sure what shocked me more. The fact Mystery, our pet dog, could speak perfect English... Or when he suddenly transformed into a giant fox-like creature with six tails. He easily rivaled the size of the mystery van if that wasn't shocking enough. Mystery crouched down, getting as low to the ground as he could.

"Hop on, we have no time to loose! Arthur's life may be on the line." He ordered, not leaving either of us with much room to argue.

Vivi climbed on, seating herself close to Mystery's neck and I close behind her. "Fine but you're all gonna tell me every flipping thing you've been hiding from me after we find Arthur. And so help me Lewis- If Arthur is dead because you waited so long to tell us he was missing I'll punt your skull all the way to China!"

I felt shivers run down my spine even though I know she would never actually do it when she started making threats she was not to be messed with.

'Annd Mystery's flying...' Another thing to shock me.

"And you Mystery, you know what's going on with Arthur. Spill. If you don't you can forget about Mystery snacks for the next year!" She threatened.

Mystery PoV

I sighed, I knew I'd have to tell them now. I couldn't let them show up there and not know what to expect. I could only hope there was another explanation regarding why Arthur would go there of all places- but I knew there was only one and I did not like it one bit.

"I guess I have no choice. We should be there soon but I should I have enough time to explain."

"Go on." Lewis inquired, pulling at my fur rather painfully...

"Last year, in the cave..." I felt both stiffen at the mention of that time.

"There was something in that place. However, I was unable to detect it until it was too late."

The Night in the Cave

Vivi rushed towards the ominous cavern, excitement written all over her aura.

"I don't like this place. There's something dangerous here, I can feel it. Maybe we should just leave it be." Arthur stuttered as he followed closely behind Lewis.

Normally, I would roll my eyes at his cowardly nature. However, this time I had to agree with Arthur. Something didn't seem right with this cave. Even though Arthur always seemed to sense danger before I could I would be able to feel it as well. Despite my efforts, I couldn't sense any supernatural energy.

Evil or otherwise.

It seemed odd to me. How could a place involved in countless deaths and disappearances have no noticeable energy? If there was something in there it had to been powerful enough to mask itself well enough to where I couldn't sense it.

'I have to admit, I could always tell Arthur's spiritual energy was greater than many of the humans I've met. But being able to detect something even I can't.' In my hundreds of years of living, I've only ever met one other human with such strong abilities.

'Impressive.' I muse as I continue to search for any presence. There was something but it was far too distorted to pinpoint its location.

"Don't be such a worry wart, Artie!" Vivi teased. "Everything will be fine. It's probably just another poltergeist out for revenge for its death or something. We'll be out of there in no time."

I notice Arthur's face fall in dread. 'Whatever it is that he senses must really be getting to him. Maybe I should say something?' I debated, however, before I could, the group had already entered.

'I'll have to keep my guard up and be ready to act in case anything bad happens.' I decide as we make our way through the green glowing cave.

"Looks like we hit a fork in the road," Lewis announced, Arthur still grabbing at the taller boy's sleeve.

'Oh boy, I know what this means.' I rolled my eyes.

"We should split up guys," Vivi announced, the excitement never leaving her tone.

"Good idea." Lewis agreed. "Arthur- you and Mystery take the-"

"Not so fast, Lew Lew." Vivi interrupted.

'That's new.' I found myself thinking.

"What do you mean? We always split up like this." Lewis questioned. I could tell Vivi was scheming something, but what?

"You and Arthur take the left road and Mystery and I will take the right." She gave Lewis a strange smile and I pieced it together.

She was trying to get Lewis and Arthur some time alone. There was no way she could know of Arthur's infatuation for Lewis, he never spoke to anyone other than me about it. Though, I knew it was because he didn't know I could speak. So that had to mean...

'Oh. I get it. This could prove to be good for Arthur. If what I'm thinking is correct.'

Sure enough, once we were out of earshot Vivi began to confide in me.

'If only they knew I could talk.' I mused as she told me about Lewi's crush on our resident mechanic. We made it to the end of the trail near the ground floor of the cave. Many, many stalagmites covered the floor and ceiling.

"Look at that Mystery!" Vivi stated in wonder. "Hey look! That's where the other trail must have ended!" I look up to see another entrance higher up- close to the ceiling of the cavern.

Without warning, I felt a very powerful and demonic aura coming from up there!

'A demon!?' And a high level one at that. 'But how can that be?' I didn't bother pressing the issue because the second I noticed Lewis leaning over the edge I bolted.

I was almost there. Arthur was in sight, but what I saw made me freeze in my tracks. His entire left arm was as green as the cave. I could only watch in shock as he bolted forward, shoving Lewis off the cliff.

It was Vivi's bone chilling scream that forced me into action. "How dare it try to hurt my family!" I growled as I transformed into my true form. All I could do was bite the possessed limb off, preventing it from further spreading.

At least that was the idea.

Whelp, that's it for this chapter. I hope it came out well. Please let me know what you think I find that I get more determined/ inspired to write more often when I people let me know what they think of the stories. It makes me feel like people actually do read my stories XP