Chapter 14: Trapped Within

'Ezio! Ezio!'

'…ummm…' Ezio groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. His vision unfocused while his head and body were throbbing in pain as well as dizziness after the crush. He shut his eyes tight and shook his head to shake off the effects. He stayed calm, following by a slow-going breathing progress for a few seconds before reopening his eyes again.

His vision returned yet blurry. He blinked a few more times and his sight returns. He glanced to his left and right before Noctis came to his view. He was taken aback by Noctis's appearance; the boy's face and clothes were covered in dirt, his hair was slightly messy and… blood stain on his arms.

'Noct….what the hell happened to you?' Ezio grabbed him by the shoulder. A sharp ache stung that Ezio slightly hunched forth a little. Immediately perceive the dire plight they got into, Ezio instantly turned his attention to the back seat. His heart skipped when he found Delsin, Ren including Sebastian were nowhere to be seen.

'We got to help them,' Noctis snapped Ezio out of his stupefied state as he pulled him out of the damaged jeep. 'They are in trouble! We got to go now!'

'But you're bleeding.'

'Those aren't my blood," Noctis said. 'I slew some creeps while you're unconscious.'

'Creeps?' At the corner of his eyes, Ezio saw three deformed humans lying dead in a pool of blood.

'I had no idea what they were but they just pop out of nowhere,' Noctis stared alongside with him.

Fearing for the other's safety especially Sebastian, Ezio jerked himself free from Noctis' grip. He returned to the jeep and pulled out a small box from beneath his driver seat. He opened up to retrieve two Colt Double Eagle pistols. He inspected the clips, locks and gun conditions thoroughly before tucking both into the shoulder holster he concealed inside his white jacket.

He reached out for the glove box compartment, took out a long red scarf and wrapped it around his neck and shoulder. Lastly he pulled up his hood.

'Lead the way.'

'Damn!' Delsin drew back after scorching a few zombie into a pile of ashes. 'What's the deal with them? Where are they coming from? There's seems to be no end!'

'They don't look like those Hybrida infected…' Ren was supporting Sebastian as the older man limps across the woods with Delsin keeping the zombies at bay.

'…my leg...' Sebastian collapsed onto the grass and grasped at his right leg. It had a deep gash and blood had dyed a portion of his brown pants crimson.

Ren crouched down to examine the wound. 'The cut is deep. I need to stop the bleeding,' He looked up to Delsin. 'We have to get him to a safe place.'

'Safe place?' Delsin looked around. 'A place like this doesn't have one.'

Delsin saw Sebastian was in agonized pain and began to worry. (Come on Delsin! Think! There had to be a place nearby.)

He looked around and spotted a small shed not far from where they are.

(Wait a minute…Was there a shed there before? Ah who cares?)

'Ren this way!' Ren quickly pulled Sebastian up to his feet and dragged him across. They entered and Delsin speedily bolted the door from the inside then pressed his back against the door for further blockade. He panic when he start to hear those creatures pounding and scratching at the entrance.

'I'm not sure how long I can hold them,' Delsin watched as Ren carefully laid Sebastian on the ground.

'How's he doing?'

'His right leg is fractured and suffering from a deep gash," Ren torn a towel which he got from his sling bag into half. 'I'll stop the bleeding. Try to store them momentarily.'

'I'll try...' Delsin sounds bleak.

Ren focused his healing energy onto Sebastian's wound. Sebastian could see the deep gash on his fractured leg closing up slowly. Once the wound closed, Ren wrapped the towel he around it as quickly as possible, tying it in a tight knot. He hauled Sebastian's up to his feet again once done.

'Sorry,' he apologised. "Bear with the rushed treatment for now. Once we're completely out of danger, I will give a proper one.'

'At least you cease the bleeding,' Sebastian was thankful. 'Ren I'm sorry for being a burden.'

'Huh?'

'I mean using your healing ability cause a strain on you…'

'Don't worry about it.'

Soon the hordes were bashing through the wooden walls. Their groping hands reaching out trying to grab their victims. Delsin used his chain whip to burn their rotting hands to keep them away from both Sebastian and Ren. Ren withdrew to a safe spot when a zombie smashed through a glass window, grabs him tightly by the shoulder and tries to pull him out.

'Argh!' Ren yelled. He grabbed his combat knife from the sheath around his belt and stabbed the zombie's hand. It shrieked in pain and loosened its grip that's when Ren take the chance to drew out his handgun and fired at the zombie's head, liquefying the creature as it dissolves to the ground.

Sebastian also helped out by firing his revolver at the hordes; head shot them one by one. Just as Sebastian plans to reload his gun, another one appears and tries to grab at him. This time Delsin picked a brick on the floor and flung it to the zombie. The impact of the brick to its face stunned it, Delsin then seized its face and smashed straight to the shattered glass shard on the window frame.

The zombie made a groan before falling still.

'Quick!' He carried Sebastian in his arms and leaped over the window with Ren following suit. They ran down a sloped downward path into another section of the woods. The death of few zombies had alerted the others and they continued pursuing. Hunting down their preys till their wits end.

With Sebastian tightly held and secured in his arms, Delsin jumped over plus sliding under tree branches with ease. Sebastian looked behind and amazed to see Ren was able to catch up with them. Suddenly Delsin halted in his track and Ren clumsily bumped right straight onto his back. Ren rubbed his nose and pushed his glasses back to its place.

'Why do you stop?' He asked.

'If I don't, we will be heading to heaven next,' Delsin answered back.

Ren stared forth and backed away. 'Whoa…ok.'

They had come to a dead end. They unknowingly ran to a cliff and had nowhere else to retreat. They intended to run back to where they came however it was too late. The horde had caught up and slowly spreading out to surround them.

Delsin tightened his grip on Sebastian as he glared at them. 'What's their problem?'

'Why not you ask them?' Ren points. 'If they can talk...'

'Haunted,' Sebastian mumbled softly.

'Pardon?'

'They are known as Haunted,' Sebastian explained. 'They were once normal humans linked to the STEM but their consciousness got trapped in the world created by that 'person'. His demented mind synchronizing with the victims' mutating them into those grotesque appearances. But they only existed in STEM, why are they here in the real world?'

'Whether they were once human," Delsin exhibited sign of pity. 'We… we still have to wipe them out, right?'

'Wait," Ren stopped him as he gazed towards the Haunted horde. 'What if there's a way to turn them back?'

Sebastian shook his head in despair. 'They are beyond salvation. Death is their only freedom.'

Ren had nothing more to say or ask. They were about to retaliate as two Haunted drew close when a shiny object out of the corner of their eyes caught their awareness that they looked up and saw an eagle shaped shadow swished down and slammed both Haunted's heads to the solid rocky ground.

They swore they heard the sound of skull cracking and blood splatting across the grass. The shadow got up and walked forth, revealing a hooded figure. Sebastian at first was appalled by the hooded figure's sudden appearance, mistaken him for Ruvik but when it turned out to be Ezio instead, he unwind down.

'Ezio!'

'Have the three of you gone crazy?' Ezio yelled at them. 'Why do you run off? Didn't I tell you all we should stick together? I was so worried.'

'We're sorry," Ren replied. "After the crush, you were totally knocked out cold furthermore they got us surrounded. We had no choice but to lure them away.'

Ezio faced the horde, drawing out one of his hidden blade and pistol. 'What are these things? They aren't humans. What happened to you Sebastian?'

'I fell down hard during the chase," Sebastian stared down at his injured fractured leg. "I won't be able to walk for the time being.'

'I will deal with them," Ezio shot a bullet through a zombie's head. Then another behind. "We will find a place to settle once I'm done here.'

'Where's Noctis?' Ren asked.

'He's currently disposing the rest back in the woods. He'll catch up.'

'You left him all by himself?'

'He maybe a child still he's capable of taking care of himself,' Ezio gunned down another three more, he drew out his hidden blade as he proceeds to slay the rest.

Noctis narrowly dodged from the pickaxe swung at him by a masked zombie. He hoisted his shotgun and blast its head off at point blank. Sensing another going to strike from behind, Noctis used the solid butt stock of the shotgun to ram it under its chin, stunning the zombie momentarily and breaking its jaw. He quickly snatched the sickle from its hand and stabbed right into its head.

The second zombie fell hard onto the ground with the sickle still stuck on its skull. Noctis then pumped the remaining shells onto the remaining horde, gunning them down one by one till no shells left.

Noctis hoisted his shotgun back onto the scabbard strapped on his back and pulled out a machete to confront the next attack wave from another group.

Two more zombies remained; they were slightly larger built and both were armed with iron mallet with dried blood and flesh stained on it. Noctis got into his defensive stance; he waited patiently for either one of them to strike so he could time the perfect chance for counterattack.

He shifted to his left and right cautiously studying the movement pattern of his attackers.

(Wait for it.) Noctis eyed at them, his grip on the machete tightened. The zombie on the left lifted the mallet high up and swung it down at him. Noctis swiftly sidestepped as it rammed hard on the grass just a few inch away.

(Moron…) Noctis taunted at the creature's stupidity. He stepped on the mallet, using it as a lever, Noctis skillfully leapt over the zombie. Landed smoothly on both feet, keeled down and sliced off the zombie's legs with his machete.

With both legs sliced off clean, the zombie fell to the ground face flat. With no sense of pain, unable to get up, all it could do is just wiggle in futile. The next zombie swung its mallet next but Noctis was fast; he dropped his machete, summoned a phantom sword and parried the attack sending the zombie reeling.

Noctis quickly picked his machete up and impaled straight into the zombie's head; brain split and dead on the spot. He approached the last zombie which was still struggling on the floor, raised his boot high and stomped hard onto its face, breaking its skull, jaws as well as the neck.

With all zombies exterminated, Noctis picked up his machete and slide it back into the scabbard. He then carefully scanned around the areas to check if there's any more of those things.

"Coast clear," Noctis mumbled to himself. He was about to re-join the others when his eyes suddenly glowed red. He detected something coming from behind. He whirled around, instinctively summoned his phantom swords and aimed directly at the direction where he senses the unknown presence but there was nothing.

With the phantom swords hovering behind him, the teen cautiously approached the area. The ambience around him seems to change; he felt the temperature drops. He continued to walk forth, his eyes shifting left and right for sudden pounce. He didn't get far when he spotted a figure shrouded by the fog walking away.

'Who's there?' He called out. The figure paused for a second. It looked back towards Noctis's direction then suddenly bolt off to the other direction.

'Hey wait!' Noctis gave chase. It only lasts for a while when Noctis spotted a dead end edge ahead and quickly stopped. He watches in silence as the figure vanishes down the path at the other side.

Noctis scrutinized the area; the aperture between where he is and the figure disappeared to was wide. He looked down over the edge and could see it's a great fall and the sound of rushing water was heard below. He stood up and went to explore the area only to find there weren't any bridge nor routes to get to the other side. So how in the world did that mysterious figure managed to get across? Noctis swore he saw the figure just run across without using any teleporting skills.

Noctis could easily warped himself over however he chooses not to. He didn't want to stray too far from his team besides he was worried for the other four. He left the area in a hurry without looking back.

'Noctis!' Ren waved at him. The four of them were resting at a big oak tree.

'I'm glad you all were alright,' Noctis was relieved to see them safe and sound. Ezio was resting on a rock, his face and hands were smudged with blood while Delsin handed him a cloth to wipe himself clean.

Ren was tending to Sebastian's leg. Cleaning the wound again and bandaging up in a proper way.

'Ezio?'

'Hey Noct,' Ezio greeted him. 'Sorry about the bloody mess you just saw.'

'Yeah I did,' Noctis glanced back. 'That's a lot you eliminated back there. I hope there isn't any more spawning up again.'

'I think that's the whole lot," Ren knelt down to touch the ground. "I could feel the presence disappearing.'

'You can tell?' Noctis looked down at him.

'Yup. Even zombies had life energies coursing through them," Ren described. 'It seep from their bodies to the ground therefore creating a stream throughout the entire area. Since I'm quite sensitive to it, I often used it to tell if there are life beings nearby."

'Sensitive as in detecting life and death?' Noctis asked.

'In a way," Ren got up.

'Glad to have company,' Noctis shrugged.

'Eh?' Ren stared at him confused.

'Ren.'

'What is it, Sebastian?'

'Back at the car you suddenly tell Ezio to take speed. Did you saw something?' Sebastian asked.

'Yeah I saw a pale slender man with a burnt hand glaring straight at me. It's not the doctor whom we met back at the museum, it was someone else.'

'Anymore to that?' Ezio questioned.

'Nope. Though he wears a hood and had white hair…'

Sebastian's swallowed hard and bit his lower lips. (Leslie? But his hands weren't burnt…)

'I wonder if the figure I saw back at the woods moments ago is the same person Ren described,' Noctis added.

'You saw him?' Delsin said.

'I only caught a glimpse of him through the fog. He ran off the moment I called out. I did went after him however he still got away.'

'Where was it?'

Noctis pointed back to the woods where he came from. 'Just east of here. He seems to be heading for sky tram direction from what I see from my pocket map. Believe it or not there was no way for him to get over there since all routes had been obliterated.'

'What do you mean?' Ren looked surprised.

'He was like walking on thin air. I thought of using my teleport ability yet I dared not to stray too far from you guys.'

'Can I see that map of yours Noctis?' Sebastian asked. Noctis handed it over and Sebastian did a quick study.

'I see. We're currently at the Serene Woods. In its vicinity, there was sky tram station meant for tourists' attraction. Sadly the business was bad and they shut it down for good. I heard rumours from my colleagues that the caves not far from the tram station leads to the outskirts of Krimson City. I'm not sure if it's true since I never really looked into it.'

'Well if you say it leads back to your hometown we can give it a try,' Ezio spoke. 'Since the jeep is badly damaged and there's no way I can't drive it back up the steep slope to the main road.'

'It's quite a fall,' Ren sighed. 'I'm just glad we all are still standing on our feet.'

'Except me,' Sebastian gave a gentle reminder.

Noctis was looking around and grumbled, 'Serene woods huh?' He rubbed both his arms as he could feel goose bumps on them. 'I'm getting goose bumps here.'

'We better hurry. It's best we don't linger here,' Ezio suggested. Delsin helped Sebastian up and the five headed towards the sky tram direction.

Just as they vanished down the path, the hooded figure appears with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

'You still didn't realise you actually did, Seb.'

'Is this where he vanished?' Ezio looked at Noctis.

'Yup,' Noctis nodded. He points to the direction where he last saw the figure. 'That's where he disappeared to and further down is the Sky Tram station which Sebastian mentioned.'

'I went ahead to scout around,' Delsin returned. 'There is indeed no way to get to the other side like Noctis said.'

'The only way over is my teleportation skill,' Noctis smiled.

'You sure you're up to it?' Ezio asked.

Noctis crossed his arms and pouted. 'Of course I'm up to it. Just gather close to me.'

They did what he instructed.

'Ok…hold on tight. I'm going to warp now.'

'Argh…I feel so sick. The rush feeling of the warp makes my stomach queasy and my body felt like they're splitting apart. Now I feel like throwing up,' Ren was standing down on all fours.

'Well it's your first time,' Noctis patted Ren on his shoulder. 'You'll eventually get used to it.'

Ren covered his mouth with his hands. 'I hoped so…Just give me a sec to recover…'

Ezio glanced up at the abandoned Tram station. He felt disturbed just by staring at the silhouette outline of the area like the place is alive and ready to swallow all the five whole. Though it seems unwelcoming, it's the only way back to Krimson City. Ezio doesn't know if he should just drop the idea, headed back and repaired the jeep instead.

Yet mending the vehicle can take the whole night plus he fretted that Sebastian's leg wound will have infection leading his fever to relapse.

'Come on,' he gestured with his head tilting towards the boarded up entrance.

Ezio with the help of Noctis, ripped down the wooden boards and shone their torchlights into the murk within.

'You know Ezzy?' Noctis turned to him. 'I'm now having second and third thoughts about venturing inside.'

'I'm having the same thoughts as you Noct,' Ezio replied as he climbed in and took a few steps forth. The corridor was eerily silent as dust, filth, spider webs and discarded furniture were scattered about. Ezio could even heard his heavy footsteps echoed clearly with each steps he took.

'Man… do we really have to go in there?' Delsin peeked in. 'This similarity is like the one we had back in the museum. What happened if the entrance vanished on us again?' He gulped. 'I don't want to go through that again,' Delsin plucked at Sebastian's trench coat. 'Is there any alternate route? Anywhere but here?'

Sebastian returned an apologetic look. 'Sorry pal. Alternate route is we head back and repair the jeep like what Ezio said.'

Ezio stopped and stared back at Sebastian. 'I didn't say that out loud.'

'You didn't?'

'Well I did have that thought…' Ezio pointed at his head. 'But it was all in my mind.'

Sebastian tilted his head. 'That's odd. I heard it loud and clear moments ago.'

'Did I really say that out?' Ezio asked Noctis then to the others. The boy shook his head in return. 'Nope all I heard from you was about having second thoughts or so. But none about the jeep thing coming from your mouth.'

'Same here,' Delsin raised his hand up. He climbed in and helped Sebastian carefully over the boards.

'Same here too,' Ren added in. 'You sure you didn't hear wrongly Sebastian?'

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. 'I'm not mistaken. I heard it very crystal clear…' he trailed off. 'In my head.'

All went quiet. Their eyes eyed at the detective.

'Ok…not only you have telepathic and perception powers, you have mind reading abilities. Why am I not surprised?' Ren smiled.

Sebastian sat on the floor rubbing his forehead. 'This is getting out of hand. Why is this happening to me?'

'Guessed all your encounters triggered your gifts to awaken quickly,' Ezio answered. 'Like it's trying to protect you.'

'Well that's a joke to me,' Sebastian disagreed. 'If it's really doing that then I pray it will…' he froze. '….the hell…?'

Ren followed Sebastian's gaze to his bandaged up right leg.

'I didn't treat it well?' He asked.

'No…no,' Sebastian proceeded to undo the bandages. The blood had dried up and he found that his gash wound was completely gone; vanished. Sebastian carefully moved his right leg a little and found the fractured doesn't even hurt at all. He slowly got up to his feet and walked a little. His leg was miraculously as good as new and everyone went stunned.

He glanced at the others then back to his leg, 'It's gone.' He shouted. 'My right leg's completely healed!'

Ren gaped. 'That's unexpected. You were injured thirty minutes ago and now you're fully recovered. My healing ability can't heal broken bones for your information.'

'Welcome to the team,' Delsin smacked Sebastian on the back causing him to stagger a little. He paused. 'Wait doesn't that mean Sebastian can rid of his illness once and for all?'

'I can't say that for sure,' Ezio answered with his arms crossed. 'His illness originated from the source of his psychic gift. Even if his gift heals other means of his injuries or so doesn't mean it can allow him to be free of the illness inflicted on him.'

'Like an equivalent trade to be precise,' Noctis said.

'So I guess about accepting the gift to heal me was confirmed a low chance?' Sebastian asked Ezio.

'Like I said back in the jeep,' Ezio gave a sad look. 'The chances is 50 by 50. I'm sorry. I wished I could help but my abilities is beyond it.'

'Erm…sorry to barge in but what's that sound?' Noctis interrupted. Before all five could react, the debris from the ceiling crumbled down instantly blockading the entrance trapping all of them inside.

'I knew it!' Delsin went pale. 'I knew this will be coming!'

It wasn't long when they heard inhuman noises coming from the other side of the dark corridor.

'Looks like we walked into their welcome party,' Ezio pulled out his dual colts and turned to the others. 'Get ready. We got some zombie killings to do.'

End of chapter 14