I know I said I'd make more chapters of this during my holidays, and now they're over and this is all I could come up with. I've got a long A/N at the end of the chapter explaining everything and my upcoming plans.

Chapter 9: Time is Nigh

Once the initial outburst of panic had been supressed, the ten of them settled down and shared their experiences and gained knowledge, if any. Felix explained how his demon, 'a certain ragdoll-face', as he called it, had killed a survivor before any information could be obtained. Elise did her best to explain what had happened to Ms Mowz, who was barely conscious and being attended to by Jainen, up on the northern wall, and how their encountered demon, Jarost, had nearly claimed both of their lives. She kept back anything Jarost had said about her brother, for fear she would lose control mentally. She also abstained from telling everything Ms Mowz had told her, because Ms Mowz had made her promise not to tell anyone.
"Not yet." She had said, the small voice echoing inside Elise's mind.
Sharp tried to tell everyone about what had happened, how his demon, Klicanje, had summoned a group of zombies to attack his group, but any information about Sky and Jane's disappearance was non-existent.
"I swear, I have no idea what happened. I told them to run while I slowed down the zombies, but then they all just seemed to vanish back into the ground. Then these words merged out of the ground, in blood, saying: 'Valiant effort, but all in vain.'"
The words sent chills down everyone's spine. Jainen was almost too afraid to relate his story, about how he saw that six of them were going to die. The revelation sent shockwaves of terror through his friends, the terror clearly portrayed on their faces.
"Who's going to die?" Felix asked, quavering.
"That's just it. I have no idea." Jainen said.
Bilic stamped his foot on the ground. "None of us will die." He said assertively. "Can't you see what they're trying to do? They're just trying to scare us so that we won't do anything! What we need to do is to act now!"
"Act how?" Sharp piped up. "We still know so little about the demons or their plans, and we're missing two of our friends."
Bilic ignored the question. "We'll figure something out."
"Sure we will." Valge muttered.
Bilic turned to his fellow Hammer Bro with a look of uncensored anger.
"Oh, and you have anything better to suggest?!" He yelled. "That we all just sit and distance ourselves from our friends, hiding information while we let the demons destroy everything?! Because that's all you've been doing!"
'What are you guys talking about?" Sharp asked, confused.
"You didn't believe me the first time!" Valge shot back.
Felix stepped in between his friends. "Whoa guys, slow down." He said.
Bilic shoved the Orange Helmet-clad Koopa, knocking him to the ground.
"Don't tell me what to do, Felix!" He snapped. "You don't even take anything seriously!"
Felix was lost for words, but his expression turned sour.
"Oh, and you? Look at you!" He retorted. "You're being too serious! And it's tearing us apart!"
A violent flash of neonic pink blew the three quarrelling Hammer Bros apart from each other, stunning them briefly.
"Stop!" Jo commanded.
No one moved, too stunned to speak after what had happened.
All except Jainen, who stepped forward.
"Guys, please." He said. "We have to stick together. I know that we're not the same, I feel the same." He took a quick glance at Dragon Blazer, who stood aside, deliberately looking bored. "But if we tear each other up now, then the demons have already won."
The other nodded in agreement.
"I agree, but we can't take off yet. We're in no condition to face the demons." Elise said.
Jainen nodded grimly. Jane and Sky were missing. Sharp was physically drained. Ms Mowz wasn't even conscious. The rest of them weren't much better.
"What should we do then?" Jo asked.
Elise found only one option. "We rest."
No one wanted to, but they all realized it was the only logical decision.
The group retreated to the inn, weary, battered and doubtful.

After Ms Mowz had been laid down and left in the vicinity of Sharp and Jainen, who were joined by their tired friends Jo, Dragon Blazer and Bilic, Elise went down to the ground floor of the inn, where the bar was located. She took a seat on the far end of the bar's long table, and Riley promptly bounced towards her, trying to nuzzle into her side.
She looked around at her friends, who also seemed disenchanted by the bleak outlook of their situation. Valge stood idly in a corner, not meeting anyone's eyes. Felix slumped on the counter, tears in his eyes.
Elise hadn't know Felix before the demons had cursed them and brought them together, but she knew that he had never looked sad or as depressed as he did now, it just didn't fit with him and his usual cheerfulness.
She moved over to the Hammer Bro and put an arm around him. He lifted his head out of his arms, showing his pale red, tear streaked eyes.
"Are you okay?" She asked cautiously.
Felix wiped his nose with his arm and looked down.
"I'm fine." He muttered. "It's just-" He faltered.
Elise waited gently.
"It's just, I don't know what we're coming to. Bilic and Valge have always been my best friends, and we've always been so close." He said. "But ever since we got trapped in this mess, Valge has withdrawn and Bilic seems so angry. And the way he yelled at me-" He buried himself in his arms again.
Elise couldn't do much more than watch helplessly.
"I know you're thinking I'm behaving like a child, that's fine." Felix sobbed.
Elise felt a wave of certainty wash over her.
"No, you're not." She said firmly.
Felix rose once more from his arms.
"What do you mean?" He said.
"You're not behaving immaturely, you were just trying to be optimistic. You're definitely an optimist, and you always want to stay cheerful, even in the worst of times."
Felix sniffled. "How-?" He stammered, confused.
Before Elise could say anything, the whole building trembled violently, so violently it threatened to tear itself apart. Elise and Felix grabbed hold of the counter, only for the wooden structure to snap into jagged pieces. Massive cracks streaked across the floor and along the wall, travelling upwards at lightning speed. The ceiling above them began to cave in, dropping the entire upper floor and ceiling upon them, collapsing and burying them under it's rubble, racking their bodies in abject pain and terror, before the very ground beneath them collapsed, only to reveal an empty null void beneath them. All of this happened so quickly none of them could even register anything or any feeling as they fell haplessly into the endless blackness of the abyss.

NZNZNZNZNZNZN

There is a time where darkness has taken over, painting the sky's black and sedating the living free spirits. The world degenerates, falling into an indescribable void into a new land, one of untold mystery, darkness and terror. And once the darkness has mustered enough energy, it will unleash a cryptic, mystic and undiscovered power upon the world, it's power so great that it cannot be documented. It is believed, without solid proof, that this untold evil lurks behind one mysterious and malevolent passageway, of which it's real name is too horrifying to be said aloud, christened to be know as the Doors of Eternal Midnight.

- Unidentified Text, Unknown Author, 4570 years before the creation of the Mushroom Kingdom

End of Chapter 9.

Long A/N time: Look guys, I'll be frank and I'll just tell you right now that this FanFic will be Postponed until further notice. I never expected it to come to this, but I just can't get any ideas out for this story. Also, this Fic isn't really getting noticed, and I feel like I put in way to many OC's and what not, plus I'm very disappointed in the lack of actual followers (Not BoomShroom, WaffleGirl and Moley Koopa, which is why their OC's have taken a more central role) and the fact that I have other things, other FanFics (an unsaturated desire to contribute to the Brony FanDom, plus a joint FimFiction account with Koopanovic, who I don't want to let down), and a rather frenetic life punctured by school, extra classes, other activities, and a less-than-average procrastination.

But I will be back with this Fic, and characters will be chopped down. Predict as you may, but don't bother reasoning to keep characters alive, I've already decided and permanently locked it. But when they do start dying, just know that I'll remember who was actually following this fic, and who wasn't.

Until then, Zackovic out_End Transmission...