AN: Hope you enjoy reading~

Chapter 23:

"Samuel, mind if I ask you something?"

"Hm?" Samuel looked up from the monitor of reports he was sorting through to give his full attention to Christo. "What is it?"

Christo folded an arm across his torso as he pushed up the frame of his glasses with his other hand. "Something has me curious. Are you sure Void asked you about your Overload skill and not something else, and you may have misheard him?"

Samuel leaned back into his chair. "No, he definitely asked me for my Overload skill."

He could not forget that conversation.

"I see." The frown on Christo's lip gave the clear indication that he was not pleased.

Samuel lifted a leg toward his chest, hitching the heel on the edge of his seat. "Why?"

"It's just these Snap Draingons," he began. "You have extensive knowledge on them. If Void learns about them, and learns about your knowledge on them, then perhaps…"

"You don't think he thought that these Seedlings and Snap Draingons were connected to me somehow, do you?"

No, he could not have. Void immediately believed him when Samuel told him he did not have one. Thinking back on it now, that was a surprise. As was the somewhat civil (and he used that word lightly) conversation that followed.

It was still bizarre to him.

"I'm just speculating with some theories…" Christo said mysteriously.

It was clear that the conversation that Samuel had with Void left him puzzled, too. And why wouldn't it?

An alert from the geographical terminal halted any further conversation between them. A new magical spear had been discovered. Samuel pushed himself out of his chair to go in search of the others as Christo walked over to the monitor get a fix on which Netherworld had been affected.

A moderate size Netherworld. One that was relatively unfamiliar to the majority of them, but from what Christo could deduce, it appeared that they had been ravished by the Lost for quite some time. So, it was safe to surmise that the Lost did not have their most elite soldiers guarding the place.

It should be a relatively quick in and out job destroying the spear and defeating the Lost Soldiers that lingered behind.

Yet, the moment Samuel stepped through the portal he felt a shiver race up his spine.

"Snap Draingons…"

There was no mistaking that presence, that smell, that feeling in the pit of his stomach. There were numerous Snap Draingons on this Netherworld.

Killia turned toward him, a subtly concerned expression in his eyes. "Are you sure?"

Samuel nodded and immediately began surveying the area with his eyes, his hand subconsciously tightening around his axe. "Yeah. There's definitely Snap Draingons here. I need to destroy them."

"You guys head for the spear," Killia commended the rest of their companions. "I'll help Samuel with the Snap Draingons."

"Sorry, we'll be quick, I promise," Samuel immediately tried to pacify with an apologetic smile.

He turned around and took a couple of slow steps, carefully trying to pinpoint the direction that the presence of the Snap Draingons was strongest in. He may have been free of Nugatory for a while, but it did not take him long at all to narrow in the aura of those Snap Draingons.

No matter how long since he had last encountered one, he would always remember the pure wickedness of those creatures.

"This way," he said to Killia as he sprinted forward.

The Netherworld was a simple grassy planet, giving no clear indications as to why it would be targeted by Void and his army. Or why he would waste a spear on it. But they have been destroying his spears at a pretty decent rate, so maybe he was targeting other smaller Netherworlds hoping to make up for the energy he was losing.

Or hoping to distract them from something else.

After a short distance of running, they finally reached an open meadow, one that showed evidence of a great battle having taken place; pockmarks of explosions and attacks littered the ground. And amongst the destruction and debris, engrained into the soil were the Snap Draingons.

Numerous of them.

It was disheartening to see just how many Snap Draingons there were in a single area. What were the victims doing? Battling each other for dominance only to all succumb at the same time? Or…were the Lost battling the inhabitants of this Netherworld by using the Seedlings, not realising that they had a time limit?

…Each Snap Draingon equated to a life taken.

He now understood why his role as defender in Nugatory was so important. The populace of the Netherverse did not understand how dangerous Seedlings were.

Samuel readied his axe and glanced over at Killia. "They're naturally weak to fire, but they do take on the characteristics and skills of their victims," he warned. "We'll have to render them completely to ash in order to defeat them."

Killia nodded in understanding. "I'll focus on using Hellfire Shot then."

Killia was more than strong enough to take on a few Snap Draingons, but Samuel would still keep an eye on him. Out of habit more than anything. But the Snap Draingons could throw off their opponents by screaming out in their victim's voice. And if one happened to know said voice…

At least those particular Snap Draingons were grounded to the spot, so they couldn't run away.

"Let's get this over with," Samuel said as they sprinted forward.

The Snap Draingons responded to their presence as they would to a meal or a threat; they began to scream at them to either draw them closer or to scare them away.

Samuel was easily able to push the voices aside. They were unrecognisable to him. Instead, he concentrated on conjuring Mega Fire spells to set them aflame before severing their heads from their bodies, rendering the use of their voices useless. But because the heads had been removed did not mean they were any less dangerous. They needed to be rendered completely to ash for them to be considered 'safe'.

After defeating a few Snap Draingons, Samuel turned his attention toward Killia. "You doing ok there, Killia?" he asked.

Killia nodded his head, but looked disturbed, nonetheless. "These screams…"

"Yeah, they're disconcerting," Samuel said, sympathetically. "They're the last words of their victims. They use them to lure in more prey. They're vicious in that regard. It's important to remember that they've not only stolen their lives, but they've also stolen their voices. So, they must be punished and destroyed."

"Ah, spoken like a true defender."

Samuel froze, his eyes widening and his heart all but stopping in his chest. That voice…he recognised that voice. But he…he should be in Nugatory.

Slowly, Samuel turned around. And his world grew colder when a demon, tall, muscular, with a manic grin and attire similar to that of a wrestler stood amongst the Snap Draingons. And his attention focused entirely on him. "Warden Hellekin…"

Killia immediately picked up on his less than positive reaction and moved to stand slightly in front of him, in a protective stance. "Samuel, do you know them?"

"Y-yeah," Samuel stuttered, unable to take his eyes off the other demon. "Nugatory has three overlords. Rather, three wardens. He's one of them. Warden Hellekin." He swallowed thickly. "You…you're the one behind all of this?"

Hellekin shrugged, carelessly. "Maybe."

Samuel felt as though he had been sucker-punched. "But why? We are meant to prevent Seedlings from entering the Netherverse."

"Hm? Why should we?" Hellekin asked.

"What do you mean why?" Samuel took a step forward and motioned toward the Snap Draingons around them with a sharp, abrupt wave of his arm. "Look around you! Every Snap Draingon here equals the death of a demon."

"Why would you care?"

Samuel reeled his head back in surprise at the new voice. "What?"

Out from behind Hellekin stepped a Skull with short brown hair, green eyes, and wearing red robes. A small set of glasses perched on the tip of his nose as his face was twisted into a light scowl.

"Ronny?" Samuel took staggering step forward. "Ronny, is that really you?"

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about your fellow Halfling, Samuel," Hellekin sneered. "Maybe you have."

He…that…was not his fault. He did not forget. Ronny and the other Halflings were always in his memories. He went through a phase where he was not sure his memories were true. Where he was not sure they were to be believed. He was thrown into the middle of a Netherverse where everything he knew was considered myth and legend.

Ronny had to understand that.

"Samuel?" Killia tried to reach out to him.

Ronny eyes flickered over to Killia and his expression darkened. "Who the hell is that, Samuel? Did you abandon us for him?"

"It's not like that, Ronny," Samuel tried. "Listen-"

"No." Ronny snapped his attention back to him. "No, I don't think I will."

Samuel uttered a sigh. "Ronny, please, this isn't the time for your teenage rebellious streak. Listen to me…"

Samuel's words trailed off when the smile on Hellekin's lips grew sinister. He reached behind him and fished around a bit. Seemingly searching for something hidden in a back pocket. His expression somehow intensified as he pulled his hand back, and resting in his hand was a golden object.

One with a figure of a sun with a raindrop etched into the side.

It was a Seedling.

And he handed it to Ronny.

"What are you-?!"

Samuel's heart simultaneously stopped beating and dropped into his stomach when Ronny raised it to his mouth, where he parted his lips, where he…took the Seedling into his mouth and swallowed it whole.

"No!" Samuel shouted as he stumbled forward a couple of steps. "You know what Seedlings does to a demon! It'll kill you!"

Ronny stood perfectly still for a moment; his eyes closed.

His eyes then snapped open, and he looked directly at Samuel, his gaze narrow and his face twisted into an expression of scorn. "You're wrong!" he shouted back. "I've never felt better. They're just enhancers. All this time, I could have left Nugatory on my own. But you wouldn't let me."

"What?" That accusation was devastating. "No. It wasn't me who-"

Ronny raised a hand toward him where a magic circle appeared. Samuel's eyes widened. Instinctively, he raised his axe in front of him in a defensive stance while conjuring a pillar ice to use as a shield.

The very second the ice manifested into existence, a powerful ball of fire struck the ice, shattering it immediately and sending him backwards several feet. He landed hard on his back, skidding backward, coming to a stop only when his back collided with a stone jutting out of the ground.

A strangled gasp escaped his lips as his back arched off the stone.

Ronny…he attacked him.

Why?

"Samuel!" Killia shouted his name in alarm.

"S-stay back!" Samuel immediately yelled back as he struggled to his feet. "Don't…don't get involved. Please. It's too dangerous."

It was up to Samuel to get through to Ronny. He had to. If he didn't…

He could not stand hearing him scream in agony.

"Ronny, listen to me," Samuel pleaded as he clutched his side and staggered forward. "I don't know what Hellekin told you, but the Seedling will kill you. You've seen it for yourself."

Ronny continued to scowl, lifting his chin defiantly into the air. "You're lying."

"Why are you listening to him?" Samuel asked desperately, unable to hold back his exasperation. "I raised you!"

A loud scoff as Ronny raised his hand toward him once more. "And that gives you the right to tell me what to do?!"

Samuel hastily lifted crossed his arms in front of his face and summoned a shield of ice in front of him. He placed all his weight into his balls of his feet as the large ball of fire struck his magically created barrier. The shockwave of the blast forced him back, but he remained upright as he was prepared for the attack. Yet, because of his close proximity to the barrier, fragments and slivers of ice slices into the bare skin of arms.

He ignored the injuries and the slight pain. They were nothing compared to what Ronny was to experience if he did not remove that Seedling before time was up.

"I hate you!" Ronny screamed suddenly. "I've always hated you!"

Samuel lowered his arms slowly. "What…? Why?"

"You ran away! You left us behind!"

"I didn't…" He could not have. "I didn't leave you willingly. I could never."

Ronny glowered at him. "Then why weren't you there when we needed you most?"

"I…"

N-needed him most? What had happened in Nugatory? What happened without him?

"Here you were, all this time, gallivanting around the Netherverse while I and the others slaved away in Nugatory!"

Ronny threw another powerful ball of flames at him and once again, Samuel managed to barely deflect it with a Mega Ice spell. He pushed aside his fatigue, ignored the pain and injuries; none of that mattered. He had to…he had to get to Ronny.

"I…I wanted to return," Samuel murmured, stumbling forward. "But I don't know wh-where Nugatory is."

"Liar!"

"T-tell me," he pleaded. "Tell me where it is and I'll go back."

Ronny's rage faltered for a fraction of a moment.

Samuel continued his unsteady path forward. "Tell me, Ronny. Tell me where it is."

"I don't know…" Ronny murmured, his eyes darting to the side, his lips downturned in a sign of unease.

"E-exactly."

They lived underground. They were not allowed to inspect maps or atlases of the Netherverse. They were not allowed to know where Nugatory resided in the grand schemed of things. They were considered a myth. A legend.

No one knew of them. And they did not know where their Netherworld resided.

But none of that mattered.

Samuel reached out a hand toward Ronny. A desperate hand. A pleading hand. "Ronny, please. Time is running out. The Seedling, it's taking hold of you. It's killing you. Please, give me your consent to remove it. Please, I'm begging you."

Ronny shook his head rapidly as he stumbled backwards. "N-no, you're wrong. You have to be. I feel fine." He stood up straight, his body tense and glared at him intently. "Besides, there's nothing to go back to!"

Samuel froze, his hand falling limp. "What do you mean?"

"Tell him, Ronny," Hellekin suddenly encouraged, gleefully at that. "Tell him how you're the last one left."

Samuel's knees buckled underneath him suddenly and he felt to the ground. He couldn't breathe as his heart pounced in his chest. "N-no…no, you're lying."

He was lying. He had to be lying…

He had to be lying!

"Afraid not," Hellekin stated with an all too sadistic grin. "They're all gone. Because of you. You weren't there to protect them. Like you were supposed to be."

No…

"That's right!" Ronny angrily agreed. "You always said you would protect us and-!"

He froze suddenly, his eyes growing wide. His mouth dropped open as he struggled to breath, buckling forward at the waist and clawed at his chest.

Samuel felt his own eyes widen. That reaction…No, had it been six minutes already?!

Ronny raised his hand toward him, his face pale, and his eyes filled his with fear. "S-Sammie…!"

"No!"

Samuel scrambled to his feet and raced over to Ronny as he fell to his knees. His heart thundered in his ears as he picked Ronny up into his arms and draped him across his lap. A strangled scream ripped from Ronny's throat, and he began to convulse and shudder violently in his arms.

No no no no, he couldn't be a victim of a Seedling!

In sheer desperation, Samuel placed a hand against Ronny's chest and pressed in with his palm, uttering an ancient spell to remove the Seedling. "Aufero!"

Ronny arched his back and screamed.

It…it didn't…

Ronny gasped loudly. "H-help me, Sammie…"

Samuel used the spell again. "I-I can't…I can't…Nothing's working."

Nothing was working…

Ronny struggled to breath and weakly gripped onto the front of Samuel's vest. "He…lied?"

"Hellekin? Of course, he did." Samuel cradled Ronny against his chest and gently ran his fingers through his hair. "He only used you. He's a warden. He has done nothing but used and abused us for our entire lives. Why? Why did you believe him, Ronny? Why?"

"I just…" Ronny's chest heaved as his words came in short, labour breathes, "wanted to be…stronger…to protect…you."

Tears began to well in Samuel's eyes. "Protect me? Why?"

Despite how difficult, how painful it was to talk, Ronny continued. "You…you were always…protecting us…always…even taking…hits for us…you didn't…deserve that…"

That…that was the reason for his rebellious streak? What a foolish, selfless child.

Ronny's body began to decay in his arms. "I'm…glad you escaped…"

Tears flowed freely down Samuel's cheeks. "I didn't leave. I don't know what happened, but I didn't leave you."

He was dying. And there was nothing Samuel could do about it.

Nothing…

Ronny's face turned ashen grey, his limbs falling limp. "Thank you…Sammie…for always…taking care…of me…"

A sharp, piercing pain erupted in Samuel's chest as Ronny's body began to crumble in his arms. Turning to ash. Disappearing before his very eyes. "Ronny, no…no."

He tried to hold onto Ronny for as long as he could, even as a Snap Draingon appeared, withering, and writhing from the cavity of his chest. From his torn clothing.

Gone.

Gone. Ronny was gone. Forever. He was actually gone. Samuel would never see him again.

Samuel clutched onto Ronny's torn and battered clothing and pressed his forehead against the ground as he cried. "No…no…"

"Oh dear, poor Samuel," Hellekin crooned sadistically. "Your heart was just like glass. And I dropped it. Dear me. So sorry."

He…

"S-Sammie…!"

Samuel slowly turned toward the Snap Draingon, his eyes unblinking, empty, and parched, yet his cheeks wet with tears and smeared with blood and dust.

"H-help me, Sammie…"

Ronny's voice.

It was using Ronny's voice.

It was…enraging.

"Sammie…"

Infuriating.

"H-help me…"

Maddening.

A rage was building inside of Samuel. A wrath unlike anything that he had every felt before. Unlike anything he had experienced in himself or in another. All consuming. Chilling, freezing cold, yet smouldering and raging hot all at the same time.

Death.

Samuel didn't even hear himself scream.