No one knew who had yelled the warning, all three members of the group diving off in different directions as several undead puppets fell from the sky, disfigured bodies and clawed hands trying to carve flesh out of the group.
Riku quickly pulled her saber slashing her way through whatever tried to attack her, blocking and hacking away at members of the undead, Satoshi and Krad doing the same.
Quickly they cut a path through the undead puppets, blood spraying across the ground, when more started to show up.
"Hurry, this way!" Riku yelled over her shoulder as she pulled her blade from one of the rotting mindless humans, the smell of putrid flesh nearly making her gag, coagulated blood staining her clothes.
Satoshi and Krad finished up with what they were dealing with, Satoshi putting a bolt in between the eyes of one undead, while Krad ripped out the throat of another with a dagger, quickly hurrying after Riku once they were done.
"What are those things?!" Krad Yelled, running with the vampiress and his fellow hunter.
"Argentines servants! He reanimates a corpse with black magic to control as he wishes!"
"Was that what was in the cave?!" Satoshi yelled as he cut down another undead.
"Yes, he wanted to hurt Dark by going after the villagers!"
"Where the hell are we going?! This path looks like it leads to nowhere!" Krad yelled as the trio ran through the forest, the undead humans hot on their heels.
"There is a strong barrier that keeps Argentine's castle hidden! If we hurry and get through we can get inside!" Riku responded, decapitating a puppet as she ran by, Wiz clinging tightly to her shoulder, occasionally letting out a distressed, "Kyuuuuuuuu!".
"Then he'll know we're here!" Satoshi barked back, slashing a former human when it came to close. He could see the rotting face of what use to be a little girl, the smell something like meat left out in the sun for weeks.
"We don't have a choice! He probably knows already anyhow!" Riku called back, holding out her hand, a magical blast of wind slicing through a group of undead.
"Now less talk! More run!" Riku shouted, aggitation dripping from her voice at all the questions.
Not a moment later, they stopped in awe as a monstrous fortress materialized out of nowhere. An area that had looked like nothing but trees gave way to a cobblestone courtyard, complete with a running fountain.
An ominous looking dark stoned castle stood before them, stone gargoyles and demons seemed to be glaring at them with their lifeless eyes. Spires scrapping the sky with their deadly looking points, the once white washed walls dark with age, nearly black.
Something must have let down the barrier…
Quickly though, they gathered their wits about them, preparing for the undead to attack, though when they turned they saw all of the puppets retreating back into the tree line.
"What…the hell was that?" Krad questioned, lowering his daggers a bit in confusion.
"…I…think they're afraid…" Satoshi said slowly.
Ice shot up from the ground, nearly skewering the group. Satoshi had been a little slow, his leg getting nicked but was otherwise fine, Riku and Krad had managed to dodge.
All of them took their stances, looking towards the new enemy, Wiz letting out a hiss from his perch on Riku's shoulder.
A figure with light, wavy brown hair stood before them, wearing a light pink Victorian style dress.
Riku faltered.
"…Grandmother? No…Risa?…is-is that really you?"
Risa merely looked at them emotionlessly, tilting her head to the side as she observed them for a bit.
"You are in the way of my masters plans. I will stop you here." Risa said, her voice cold and dead. "Now, die!" Ice began to form at her feet, then shot out in jagged spears towards the group.
Riku murmured a few words in a foreign tongue, her saber glowing with ethereal light. As quick as lightning, she sliced through the air horizontally, a shock wave of wind halting the ice and causing it to shatter.
"You two go on ahead." Riku said, her voice sounding like steel, her saber at the ready.
Satoshi hesitated, "But-"
"Go! Take Wiz with you!"
"Let's go Satoshi, this is her battle now." Krad said, for once being completely serious. Wiz used his ears to fly to Satoshi, landing on his shoulder, rubbing his cheek to the hunters. When Satoshi still hesitated, the blond haired hunter grasped Satoshi's arm and pulled him away towards the ominous looking castle.
Risa tried to stop them with her ice, but Riku countered, causing the ice to shatter into harmless shards. Argentine's newest puppet focused her attention on her sister from another life.
"Risa…I will free you." Riku promised, holding her saber in front of her, eyes full of determination.
Risa gave a little smile, the air around them beginning to freeze, causing snow to fall. Risa held out her hand in front of her, her body becoming enveloped in a blue light, invisible wind pulling at her hair and the folds of her dress.
"You can come and try." Risa stated, a cold smile on her lips.
-x-
Daisuke looked up from his huddled position on the bed when he heard the lock to his door being opened once again, holding his breath in agonizing anticipation.
"You needn't be so tense, I won't kill you…yet." Argentine said, walking into the cell as if it was his living room.
Daisuke watched him warily, noticing the absence of a certain vampire.
"What have you done with Dark?" the red-head asked quietly, expecting the worst.
Argentine narrowed his eyes, "He's not your concern, but if you must know, he's resting."
Daisuke let out a sign of relief, Dark was safe - for now. At least, if Argentine was telling the truth…
"Now, get up, it's time for you to show your worth." Argentine said, waving his hand in a 'come' gesture.
"I won't move until you tell me what you want with Dark." Daisuke said defiantly, curling up tighter and very determined to stay where he was.
"Very well, have it your way." Argentine said breezily, almost happy at the little show of defiance.
Daisuke was about to ask what the sorcerer meant when he felt his body move on it's own, getting up and walking towards the sorcerer.
"Wha-what's going on!" Daisuke thought, unable to control his body. "I can't speak, I can't move!"
Daisuke was quivering in fear on the inside when his body stopped in front of Argentine of it's own accord.
"Remember, you brought this upon yourself." Argentine stated, caressing Daisuke's cheek with the back of his hand, causing the red head to mentally recoil in disgust.
Argentine swept out of the room, his robes gracefully fanning out as he turned and left the cell, Daisuke following behind him - his body no longer his to control.
-x-
"This place could use some light, then it might not look like one endless dungeon." Krad stated, the hunters looking around the main entrance.
The air was musty, and there was next to no light even with the main entrance doors wide open, sounds of battle sounding in the distance.
Before them was a grand stair case, doors on either side. The stair case itself looking like it had halls coming both sides, looking like something from a novel, perfectly symmetrical.
However…
Everything looked of age, the curtains moth eaten and various paintings long since faded. Satoshi spotted several vases of flowers around the large room, but all of them were withered. All of the furniture and rugs were covered in dust, and some of the stains looked like dried blood…
More than that though was the feeling like they were being watched, as if the room was living.
Satoshi and Krad both felt like thousands of eye were on them, each pair waiting for them to make a mistake.
The feeling of dread and despair permeated the room, and the two hunters felt like lost souls were trying to get them to leave, a heavy weight settling in their chests.
That combined with the lack of light and already creepy atmosphere made their skin crawl.
Wiz seemed unperturbed with all of this, hopping from his perch on Satoshi's shoulder and to the floor, then facing the hunters.
"Kyu, kyu!" the little rabbit imposter said, beginning to hop up the grand staircase.
Both of the hunters looked towards each other and shrugged, they had no choice but to follow.
"Our fate is up to a rabbit. Destiny has one twisted sense of humor." Krad groused.
Satoshi couldn't help but nod in agreement.
Behind them, they could hear the entrance doors shut with a loud bang, the floor trembling from the force.
There wasn't any turning back now.
And Cut! There we have it folks, don't forget to drop me a review! ^^ Your support keeps me going when I feel like quitting!