And we're back!
We got one review last week, so review time!
Ems602- While there are things like the story description that require an update, I can assure you that Dimentio is a major character in this world. He's just taking a while to become a part of Luigi's journey.
He should have known better than to trust her, the circumstances in which they met were far too convenient.
An angel falling out of the sky right as he passed by? She was an awfully lucky girl then to have had such a nice person nearby then.
He should have suspected something was suspicious, but why would he? He'd been inside a house while everything went to hell without him. His natural instinct was to assume someone was good until proven otherwise, and she had been nothing but good to him.
He really should have known better. Luigi kept having to tell himself that as he hid behind pillar after pillar. He hadn't even caught a glimpse of Luvbi when he fled. He knew better than to look back.
He ran without stopping once he left the hellish nightmare of the Ruined Afterworld, a suitable name for such a place, until he located his original path of travel. He couldn't possibly make way to his original destination while following the path, not with a maniac following him. He need to detour through the woods.
Transversing the heavily decayed foliage without knowledge of the potential hazards was foolish, but he'd need to take risks to survive in a world where even angels were out for his blood. He delved inside.
The flora was as wilted as he'd expected, the most dangerous thing he could find was the heavy amount of thorns that had grown on everything to protect what little remained.
He exited the forest into the decrepit Toad Town. A fungal creature with far too many legs and a dried upper half stared hungrily at Luigi. He was pretty sure it used to be a toad based upon his own assumption and the fact that the creature's body was infested with spots.
Luigi had to urge himself to not listen to the pleas of the starving creature that seemed preoccupied with both him and the hideous mass it was in the process of engulfing with its jagged mouth.
He had to maneuver around numerous buildings to avoid the hoards of hungry mutants wanting to devour him. The center of town was especially dangerous with the town wizard, Merlon, guarding it as his own territory in his deformed state as a tusked, bipedal creature with a bulb dangling from his head.
His lack of eyes did not stop him from felling intruders, such as a particularly famished and desperate toad, with incredible speed.
Inching away from such a creature would slow him down, but he couldn't simply run from it. Running would make noise, as would attempting to enter any nearby building, with the exception of the vacated Mushroom Castle. He could rest there until Luvbi lost his trail and escape through the back without making himself Merlon's next target.
Luigi carefully scaled the bordering wall into the castle lawn, long deprived of maintenance after the princess disappeared and left her kingdom in shambles. The front of the castle was infested with black ivy, but the front door was intact enough to go through.
The interior had certainly seen better days, but was thankfully lacking any form of life other than Luigi himself. He casually made his way to the castle's mostly untouched guest room and flopped onto the soft bed. The fact he woke up hours later without any sign of blood loss was a good enough indication that he was safe enough inside the castle walls to use it as a safe haven.
He'd nearly considered raiding for supplies, but decided against it in case someone else needed them more than him, and instead took his leave from the empty structure. The way the ground pulsated in the back of the castle suggested that it would be safer for him to return to the entrance, which he did.
Through the gate, he could see that Merlon had left his post with a trail of blood and Toad corpses leading towards the direction he intended to go. Surely he would have an easier time avoiding him on a trail then in a town. He followed the crimson puddles, squeamishly trying to avoid letting a single drop of the liquid touch his shoes, a task that became more difficult as the amount of blood lining the ground became more obvious.
The trail ended in an open plane that was circled by uprooted trees. In the dead center lied Merlon, collapsed, his insides spilled out from a gaping hole caused by his attacker: a large worm.
The worm's striped body oozed under the patches of colorful skin that peeled off near it dreadlock covered head. It turned to Luigi with a row of bloody canine teeth bared; its ugly maw formed a crooked smile and let out a stomach-churning chuckle as the slimy thing inched towards him. The sight of such large quantities of blood left the plumber paralyzed in shock and at the mercy of the creature before him.
"You're a new face." It lisped, snakelike. "I don't recognize your smell."
Luigi tried to grab the hammer in his bag. The worm snapped at his hand.
"Nu-uh-uh~" It taunted, "Let's not get too hasty. We've only just met. A pure guy like yourself must have quite a tale to tell."
"Pure?"
"Lacking in corruption, untainted by the plague around us, guiltless and without a single drop of blood on your hands. I'm sure those are good definitions for you to wrap you head around. Now tell me about yourself."
"I'm Luigi, I've been...hiding in my house since the corruption spread." He answered the creature with hesitation wavering in his voice.
"Luigi eh? I remember you now. You were that Mario guy's brother, weren't you?"
He nodded.
"Your a bit far from home aren't you?"
He nodded again.
"And your big tough brother isn't here to help you?"
He didn't move.
"Hehe, I think we both know the answer to that question."
"I just-" He fumbled, attempting to orchestrate a distraction. "I need-"
"Need what?"
"I need answers."
Just a heads up, next chapter is gonna be a bit shorter.
Don't forget to leave a review if you can; it's stupid, I know, but they REALLY do help me in the long run. Even a call out on some bad grammar could go a long way.
Anywho, Adios!