Sorry for taking a while but I promise this was worth the wait everyone.
Check out my DA if you want to see my art for this story. Name is EmeraldOverlord and I hope you like the story and art.
Back In The Other World…
Over the next few days, Martha had allowed them to stay in the Inn. Breakfast was a time where all staying came to eat downstairs at the tables. Surprisingly, Martha was an adept cook and managed to prepare a breakfast not only for her children, but for all those who were staying at the Inn.
"Hey Charlie, this Martha lady makes some mean pancakes don't ya think?"
"Yeah, too bad I already ate mine…I couldn't help myself.." She mumbled in disappointment.
"Aw, don't worry baby, I'll let you have some of mine," Angel then got his fork, stabbed a piece of his pancake that was covered in blueberry syrup and held it out to Charlie's mouth,"Now say Ahhhh~"
"Ah~"
Charlie eagerly leaned forward and took a bite of the pancakes, relishing in the taste with a large smile on her face."Mmm! Tastes wonderful, Angel! You're so sweet!"
"Anything for you, Charlie…"
"Oh my god, can you two get a room please?" Velvet exclaimed,"Seriously, you're flirting right in front of my breakfast!"
"Oh shove a cork up your windpipe," Angel sneered,"If it bothers you so much just turn your gaze. Nobody is asking you to watch. Mind your own business, Velvet…"
"It's not my fault you're doing it in front of everyone," Velvet huffed.
"Oh grow up, Velvet. We're all grown adults here. Besides, what's the issue with Charlie and getting cuddly? It's not like we're fucking on the goddamn table. What's there to bitch about?"
"Some of us would like to go one day without people meshing their lips against each other in the most obnoxious way possible. I got enough of that shit at the Studio and I'd prefer to go one day without this shit."
He scoffed,"It's not my fault Val and Vox were fucking like rabbits and and making an entire spectacle about every chance they got-Ow!" Angel felt someone stomp on his foot and whipped around, seeing Vox sitting right across from him with a very pissed off expression."What the hell was that for!?"
"You know what that is for you moron! Haven't you heard it's rude to speak about someone when they're within hearing distance of you?" Vox hissed.
"It's not my fault, crazy over here started it, Vox," He snapped back irritably,"If you're gonna get mad at someone, look at her, not me."
"You're the one whose talking about my sex life like it's the fucking weather in front of our entire table like it's suddenly their business," His pale blue eyes twitching with fury.
"Vox, you never really went out of your way to hide it, just saying," Velvet said,"Like no offense, but you and Val were either fucking, fighting or doing both at the same time. We legit went out for pizza and you and Val started arguing which topping was better and fought about it for well over an hour before somehow kissing each other by the end of it."
His face turned scarlet as he began to plead with her,"Velvet, can you please do me a favor and shut the fuck up? I'd really appreciate it if you stopped talking about my sex life in front not only our group, but one that includes my damn rival…"
"Believe me, Vox, I could've gone the rest of my life not knowing what your private life is like and I'd like to go back to that time…"
"I think all of us could've, actually,"Vaggie admitted flatly,"Especially while we're eating. It's like you're trying to kill my appetite…"
Vox's entire face flushed. Everyone in their group was glancing at him strangely and all eyes were on him, and not in the way he wanted.
The worst part was that Helsa seemed to be looking at him, seemingly feeling second-hand embarrassment just from looking at him and it made him want nothing more than for the planet to swallow him whole.
Charlie cringed, sensing Vox was beyond embarrassed and tried to alleviate the situation,"Hey now, let's not get judgemental, guys. There's no need to judge Vox for what he did in his private time and it's most certainly none of our business."
"I don't see what he's so embarrassed about," Angel admitted as he put his arms over his head lazily,"I mean, I've slept with tons of fuckers and you don't see me hiding my head in shame. Nothing wrong about getting around you know. I've really been around the block and I ain't ashamed of it."
"Not everyone can be as casual as you, Angel," Charlie reminded.
Angel chuckled,"You're right, not everyone's got a flawless body like I have. Must be hard getting laid when you're not the embodiment of sexiness."
"If you're the embodiment of sexiness then the standards have dropped considerably," Vaggie grumbled.
"You're just jealous you don't have fans, Vaggie," He huffed," I swear if the fall hadn't stolen my faux cleavage I'd pull out all the creepy fan letters to prove how universally loved I am."
"Is that something we're supposed to be jealous of?" Niffty asked.
"Judging by how he flaunts it…yes," Al said,"Though I can't say I'm feeling envious and I think that goes for pretty much all of us."
"Oh can it, Smiles, you're just salty people actually like me."
"Considering how they like you, I think I'll pass on that kind of attention."
"Your loss," Angel replied with a cocky grin on his face.
Before any more words about the current conversation could be said, Vox noticed Martha approaching and ushered for everyone to 'shut the fuck up' and to put an end to the current topic at hand.
"Hey Vincent, how's the food? "She asked,"Did you and your friends enjoy your meal?"
"Yeah, it was great, Martha," He replied with a weak smile,"Thanks for serving us. We really appreciate it. You're very generous feeding everyone. Are you certain you are not a bit hungry yourself after cooking for everyone? Did you at least help yourself to any of the food you made?"
"Oh no," Martha said, shaking her head,"I don't eat those sorts of things. Not anymore anyway…"
"Are you on a diet?" He asked. Ever since they met, he couldn't recall seeing Martha eat like her children did and he found it a tad strange given that while Martha wasn't big or anything, she would still need food to sustain herself on a daily basis.
"You could say that," The blonde woman replied, gripping her hand tightly,"It's simply not my preference. I prefer more…natural sources for my diet though I'm more than willing to cook for the guests for as long as they plan to stay…"
What nature entailed was a mystery, though Vox decided to not question it. After all, what Martha did with her diet was really none of his business.
"Say Martha, is there any reason you came over here? You seem a bit tense…" He said, noting Martha's body language seemed a tad off and her usually bubbly persona had dwindled ever so slightly.
"Aw yes, I just remembered what I came here to tell you all about. Today, there was a recent slaughter in the woods. A few men who were traveling had gone missing a few days prior and their bodies were just discovered. The state of the bodies have led the public to believe that they were feasted on prior to their deaths…"
Everyone's back strained at the news, all turning to Martha with bewildered expressions.
"Why didn't you mention this sort of thing before?" Vaggie asked,"Seems like very vital information, don't you think?"
"I apologize, it's just that we don't tend to get too many newcomers around here and I just thought you would've known prior to coming here though I must've overestimated your knowledge on these parts."
"How long has this been happening exactly?" Husk inquired, already not liking the sound of this.
"Far longer than I'd like to admit," Martha said vaguely,"It's why not a lot of people come here. Even the traders don't stick around long, fearing they'll get eaten too. People tend to stay indoors and not stray too far from town because of this and those who do…tend not to be seen again."
Everyone tensed up at this, Al then asked the dreadful question,"Does anyone know what it is? You can't tell me no one's tried to hunt this creature down after so many deaths. Surely you'd at least know it is by now."
"Many have tried, all have failed,"She said simply,"In the early years when the bodies piled up, some of the townspeople sent their best men with their guns to try and track this creature down since it seemed to only be active at night. By dawn their bodies had already been found mangled and beyond identification. Nowadays, everyone has grown to accept it. Once every blue moon however, a grieving family member strikes up the courage to try and investigate what happened for themselves though they too end up meeting the same fate…"
'She knows an awful lot about this…' Helsa thought to herself with narrowed eyes, glaring at the blonde with great suspicion.
"You know…starting to feel a bit uncomfortable about staying in this Sector honestly…" The former Cat Demon mumbled under his breath.
"The feeling is mutual, Husky," Angel said,"Just all of a sudden I don't like this place anymore..Maybe we should hit the road soon."
"Oh? There's no need to leave so soon. It only comes out at night and it usually doesn't attack people outside of the forest…"
"Usually?" Vaggie retorted with a cocked eyebrow,"No offense, Martha, but that doesn't sound all too pleasant for our tastes. You may be used to living with some creature lurking in the woods that eats people but not all of us are OK with that."
"Yeah, not to mention we kind of have places to be," Charlie admitted,"not that we're complaining about your place, we just have…other concerns on our minds and we'd like to continue where we left off…"
"Aw, there's no need to be frightened. It's not going to harm any of you so long as you stay indoors."
"That's not a risk we'd like to take lady," Angel stated,"I get you're used to having creatures gnaw the faces of those who stay up too late but I'd personally sleep better at night knowing it's not in the same vicinity as me…"
"You're really insistent on leaving tonight…" She sighed,"Oh well, if I cannot change your mind, I should at least bake you something as a parting present before you all go. Given how much ingredients I spent on breakfast, I'll have to purchase some more."
"Martha, there's no need to go all out like that. I promise we'll be fine," Vox assured.
"But I insist, Vincent. It wouldn't be right to have a guest depart with a little celebration of course. After all, you and your horned friend over there brought me quite a lot of extra income and it wouldn't hurt to splurge now would it be a thank you gift?"
Vox flushed, still embarrassed about how he had cross-dressed mere days ago in front of a live audience,"Err..well…if you put it that way I suppose that it wouldn't , it'd be rather rude to decline such a generous offer and you've been really nice so I don't see why not…"
"Wonderful, there's just one problem. I'd just hate to leave my two little angels behind. They're not used to Mommy leaving and I don't want to leave them unsupervised…"
"Don't worry, Angel and I can be the cuties while you're away!" Charlie assured with an eager grin,"Right Angle! Don't you wanna play with the little kiddies?"
"Sure, I'll bite. Spending time with some rascals for a few hours can't be that hard…" He shrugged.
"That's so kind of you, Charlie," Martha thanked,"And Vincent, can you do me a favor and come with me? I could use someone to carry the groceries and I prefer not being alone when I'm shopping. Never know what can happen out there if you know what I mean…"
"I..I don't see why not," He said,"Don't worry, I can keep an eye on things and make sure no one tries harming you if that's what you're worried about."
"You're such a sweetheart, Vincent! I'm so happy you agreed to come!" She then held Vox's hand and tried to lead him out the door, however moments later, Helsa began trailing after them in hot pursuit.
"Helsa, what are you doing?" Vox asked, confused why she was suddenly following them. Martha herself seemed to not appreciate Helsa's interference as despite her jolly exterior, her chipper voice became slightly irritated at the sight of the Princess of Envy stalking them.
"Is there a reason you need to follow us, Helsa? You know I only asked for Vincent's help, your presence while appreciated is not required and I'd prefer if you stayed behind and waited until we came back…"
Helsa didn't budge, instead glaring at Martha with hateful eyes and pursed lips. It was abundantly clear that Helsa wasn't changing her stance and Vox decided to try and make the best situation by alleviating Martha's annoyance.
"I don't know what's gotten into Helsa lately, she's never usually this…clingy but I think she just..wants to follow us for some reason, Martha. I get it's frustrating but I don't see the harm in letting Helsa come along with us.."
"Are you certain she won't cause any problems? I just don't want her…interfering with anything…"
"Yeah, she won't…" Vox then sent Helsa a look before glancing back at Martha,"Well, why don't we try getting a move on? Those items won't buy themselves you know…"
"Fair enough…" Martha sighed in disappointment, her expression visibly irritated at the sight of Helsa trailing them, the former Ice Siren having mutual contempt in her frosty blue eyes that could've captured the whole town in winter if she willed it.
Helsa followed Vox and Martha as they approached the local open market in town. Her expression was one of silent fury as she saw Martha and Vox looking over goods that were on sale and debating what they could get with bright smiles on their faces.
The obnoxious sound of her laughter…the smile etched over her face was enough to make her sick. The sight of Martha smiling at Vox who seemed to just eat everything she did up without a moment of hesitancy.
It was infuriating and Helsa's right eye twitched just at the sight of it. It was so bloody sickening and it made her wish she could barf from how sickeningly sweet Martha was, the sight of her smile could've given anyone diabetes.
'What the hell does he see in this wench?' She thought bitterly to herself,'Is it because she's curvier than me? Because she has bigger tits? I'm still sexier than that fake ass barbie doll and richer than her too. Swear if Vox wasn't watching I'd fucking cut the bitch with my blades…'
At the moment, Vox and Martha were checking out some fruits that were on sale. Martha just prior had been discussing what fruit to make pie out of and wasn't able to come to a decision until she locked eyes with a specific batch of apples.
The moment she reached for it, Vox grabbed the same one, one hand falling over the other. There was a moment of silence between the two before they looked up at each other, Vox's face flushing as he stammered,"Uh, sorry…I didn't think you were going to grab that one…"
"Oh there's no reason to be embarrassed, Vincent. Great minds do think alike as they say," She giggled.
"Uh yeah…Eh?" He mumbled before noticing something. He hadn't quite noticed it before, but as he looked at Martha's hand, he couldn't help but notice a diamond encrusted ring on her ring-finger."Wait…you're married!?"
"Yes? Is there a problem?"
"Nothing against marriage but…I thought you were a single parent or something…." He admitted.
"Oh? What gave you that impression?"
"You never really mentioned anything about your husband and from what I could tell back at the Inn, there were pictures of him. Is he still around or is he…you know.." He tried to avoid the use of the word 'dead' and instead opted for a more sensitive approach to the topic.
Martha stared at him for a moment, her expression unreadable before it clicked,"Oh, don't be silly, Vincent. He's still walking amongst us, he's just…not around that often."
"Not around that often?" Vox questioned,"Does he ever come around at least to visit you and the kids?"
"Not really. Ralphie isn't around that often and due to…circumstances it's best he isn't. He's not all that in control of his life like I am and it's best he's not around the kids too often…" She admitted.
"That doesn't sound like a satisfying marriage, Martha," He said slowly,"Are you happy with this arrangement, Martha? Because I can't see how you would be, having to raise two children and watch after a populated Inn at the same time without anyone else to help you outside of a few employees doesn't sound all too thrilling."
"It's not the best life but it's the hand I was dealt with and I'm going to make use of it while I still got it," She admitted,"Besides while I deeply love Ralphie…our marriage wasn't exactly our idea. Our parents figured it was best to shove us together, you know, to keep the bloodline going and what not."
"Why'd you stay together then? Your parents are not around are they?" He asked, still not too certain. He was aware that people in this timeline aged slowly and even those who were human were likely several hundred years old.
"I wouldn't know, haven't talked to them in over a century and I'd like to keep it that way," She admitted,"Wasn't even from Sloth honestly though the cards fell where they did and that's how we ended up here. This is our home and that's how it's been."
"Is there a reason your husband is never around? I don't mean to get personal or anything, I just find it strange he's never home…"
"It's…something you wouldn't understand, Vincent," She said, clearly uncomfortable with the topic,"I know you mean well, but I do believe that my husband's whereabouts are none of your business."
"Sorry…I just wanted to know…"
"It's fine, sweetie, just try not to mention it…" Martha comforted before perking up again,"Now come on, we still have to buy some other goodies before we head back .Wouldn't wanna disappoint the others now would we?"
"No."
"Then let's hope for it. I still have a few things to check off the list before we head home…"
As they spoke, Helsa's eyebrows narrowed at the conversation. Her suspicion grew as a bad feeling enveloped within her stomach. Something didn't sit right about Martha and her suspicions of the woman grew ten-fold every time she opened her mouth. She could just sense something was hiding beneath that charming smile and whatever it was, was far nastier than many would give credit for.
She didn't trust Martha anymore than she could throw her and the sirens were blaring in her head. Yet she still had to bite her tongue, not only because Martha was right there, but because she doubted Vox would believe her.
Even if Vox found Martha's reasons suspicious, chances are that the woman would charm her way into diverting attention from her and make Helsa look like she was in the wrong. She had done this tactic before, playing innocent in the face of others and it seemed only she was able to see through the disguise as the others seemed to trust Martha.
Then again, Helsa supposed her experience in seducing men had inadvertently paid off because she could tell when another woman was trying to steal her target.
It happened a few times back in Hell where some godforsaken wench would try stealing her boyfriend of the week and Helsa always made sure to show the bitch what for.
Not because she cared about the guy or anything, no, they were just eye-candy for her. It was because she didn't like anyone breaking her toys before she was done with them.
All the guys she had 'dated'(the term date being used very loosely) existed either to carry her bags or for a good fuck. Once they got boring she threw them aside and moved on to the next hot guy she saw as the cycle repeated itself for literal centuries.
To this day, she felt no regret for what she had done over those past centuries. Even after all those lectures, Helsa never felt bad for toying with the feelings of other men before.
Well, Vox was the sole exception to the rule, but only just. Had he not found out her plot ahead of time, she likely would've dismissed him too.
Still, just because she cared about Vox didn't mean she didn't consider him foolish, especially in times like this where he allowed his emotions to cloud his mind. She'd say she expected better out of him but given how long she had known Vox, she knew how…easily manipulatable he could be in the romantic department.
She found him rather foolish for falling for Martha's innocent lamb act, she couldn't say she was surprised. If she knew anything about Vox, it was that he was too trusting when it came to his heart, a fact she once took for granted…
She felt ashamed of it now, but she knew there was no point in dwelling on it. It wasn't like she could reverse time and it was better to invest in the future than the past…
Best to spend her time trying to save this hopeless fool before he got himself killed.
Because something wasn't right about this woman and the longer she was around her, the more suspicious she got. She was too sweet, too perfect, too kind to not be hiding something.
The Princess knew from personal experience that even the sweetest people are more than capable of acting as mean as the meanest demons and that Martha posed far more than what meets the eye.
Until she could act on her thoughts however, all she could do was watch from a distance. Martha wouldn't dare do anything while she was present and both women knew it. They may not have said anything to each other, but it was evident Martha knew Helsa was watching her every move without pause.
Probably a good thing Helsa was mute in that moment else she would've cursed her in her native tongue for daring to glance at royalty in such a manner. She'd prove just how much of a manipulative bitch that woman was envious and Vox would owe her big-time for it.
Back at the Inn…
By the time they got back, Vox had been carrying all the groceries Martha had purchased in both of his hands with Martha carrying some of her own. As they were making their way inside, Vox instructed Helsa to open the door for them to which she did…
While slamming the door in Martha's face the second she looked ready to enter, causing her to fall over on her back.
Vox immediately grit his teeth and quickly rushed to open the door and help Martha back to her feet. Surprisingly, Martha didn't seem all too hurt from the whole ordeal, merely brushing herself off as she scrambled to pick the fallen groceries up.
"Fuck!" The former TV Demon rushed to her aid and began picking the groceries up,"Are you alright, Martha?"
"I'm fine," She assured me,"Just a little sore that's all…"
"I'm so sorry about that…I don't know what got into Helsa for her to act like this. I know she's never really liked you but this behavior is uncalled for…"
"Don't worry about it, Vincent. It's not like she really hurt me. A little fall ain't gonna be the death of me. Now come on, let's get inside while I set everything up.I'll get dinner ready in a jiffy and I'll be sure to make it extra special for you all…"
Vox was a tad taken back by this eagerness but ultimately sighed,"Whatever you say…"
As soon as they got inside, Vox told Martha that he would get the others to come downstairs for dinner. Soon enough, almost everyone except Angel and Charlie were downstairs. They walked down the Inn to search for the room numbers for where the children were.
Helsa couldn't help but notice that the former TV Overlord was seething with silent fury. He may not have said anything but she could tell he was angry at her and was giving her the silent treatment….
Which she considered fucking rude. She was Helsa Von Eldritch, Princess of Envy and as of now, wielder of Ice. Nobody fucking ignored and got away with it and Vox was sadly mistaken if she thought she was going to let such insolence slide.
She then kicked him in the shins and Vox screeched,"Ow! What the fuck is your problem?"
"Ignoring me tends to set me off, Vox…" She spoke through sign language, glaring at him for daring to ignore her.
"Have you thought that perhaps there was a reason I was ignoring you?" He asked flatly,"It wouldn't have anything to do with your current behavior now would it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about…"
"Don't play coy with me, Helsa. I know what I saw back there and it's not fucking cute. I don't know what's going through your head but acting like a jealous bitch to Martha is not funny."
She scoffed,"You're being ridiculous, Vox. I would never be jealous of a peasant with no brains…"
"What's gotten into you?" He asked in disbelief,"I get you don't trust her fully but this behavior is just uncalled for. She's been letting us stay here in her Inn free of charge and you can't even pretend to like her until we get out of here? What's your deal?"
"My 'deal' is that this blonde slut is using you and you're falling right into her trap. You never learn do you, Vox? Because I can certainly see how Valentino manipulated you for all these years, with how willing you are to ignore the red flags it's little wonder you always find yourself in situations where others use you to their heart's content and not all of them are as merciful as I am to stop…"
"You only stopped because I figured you out…" He pointed out.
"Would you have preferred it had I shattered your weeping heart and broken your mind to the point that recovery was no longer possible? To where you no longer feel love? Is that what you would've preferred,Vox? To end up like every other man who believed they could 'change' me? Make me there only to end up playing the fool by the end? Is that what you wanted?"
"Neither would've sufficed,"Vox said lowly, flinching at how detailed and cold her words were.
Even though he had never heard Helsa speak with her voice, he could practically picture just how cruel and cold her words were to the bone. For someone who lacked an audible voice, her words were vicious and were capable of chilling most to their core while remaining as soft spoken as a proper lady should be.
"You act like you have a choice in the matter. You simply got lucky you found out my plot. Had that clown not exposed me, you would've been just like the others. And yet it seems even despite all that, you're all too easy to fool. This Martha has you right where she wants you and you're none the wiser."
Vox frowned deeply,"Oh my god, Helsa…Now you're just being an insufferable bitch. You don't need to get on someone's case so badly. I get jealous but this is beyond petty. I can't believe you…"
Helsa's eye twitched with silent fury. She couldn't care less if Vox called her a bitch,(if anything that was a compliment). No, she was furious he was ignoring her advice purely out of spite….
Before the conversation could continue, Vox decided to head to the door where the kids were staying. When he opened the door, he saw Charlie and Angel playing tag with Martha's children.
"Gotcha!" Charlie said as she caught Samantha.
"Caught you, ya little rascal," Angel chuckled as he swung Timmy around.
"Aw, you caught us…" Samantha whined,"No fair…You adults are bigger than us…"
"Ain't our fault we're when you're our age it'll be easier to run…" The former Porn Star mocked and ruffled Timmy's hair.
Just then, Charlie turned and noticed Vox and Helsa staring at the scene before them and said,"Oh hey guys! You're back! How was your little trip out?"
Vox cringed,"It…could've gone much better that's for sure. In the end though, we got what we wanted and as of now, Martha is getting ready to serve everyone from what I can tell…"
At the mention of this, the kids suddenly become sullen, sounding almost disappointed as Timmy said,"Aw, Mom's doing it already? I thought we'd get to have more fun with you guys."
"To think we were gonna have some friends…" Samantha whined.
"Woah woah there kiddies, no reason to get all teary eyed," Angel warned,"It's nothing against you two, we just have to hit the road because of our current circumstances."
"Yeah, besides,I'm certain you two can always find kids your age to call friends…" Charlie said enthusiastically.
This…got the exact opposite reaction they were hoping for because Samantha and Timmy started crying. Like, bawling their eyes on crying. Not the 'I lost my toy' kind of crying but actual tears.
Everyone tensed up at the kid's crying and none of them were certain what to do. No one was certain what caused this and no one was entirely sure what to do.
"What's their problem?" Vox asked in confusion,"I get the kids being clingy about you two leaving but this is a bit much…"
"Don't look at me, I couldn't tell you what they're so fussy over," Angel grumbled,"Though something tells me it ain't over their toys…"
"Perhaps they're just being brats…" Helsa remarked.
Charlie narrowed her eyes at her rival,"Helsa, quit being rude. They're just children, there's no need to be so harsh on them…"
The Princess of Envy scoffed at her rival's criticism. Charlie directed her gaze at Samantha before taking a knee and meeting the little girl's eyes with great empathy lingering within.
"Hey hey, no need to cry," She said as she wiped a tear from Samantha's eyes,"I don't quite understand what you're crying over but I assure you that whatever it is, you can tell us about it…"
"Mommy said I wasn't allowed to tell…"
"Well Mommy isn't here right now and I'm certain sharing won't hurt…You can tell me, Samantha, I won't hurt you…" She said calmly before placing her hands on the red head's shoulders comfortingly before embracing her in a hug…
A portion of empathy had been triggered within her and the next thing Charlie knew, she was suddenly struck by something before white entered her eyes.
Charlie blinked in astonishment as she found herself inside the same room, though all her friends were gone.
"Guys? Where are you?" She asked, her voice echoing off the walls,"Angel? Vox? Helsa? Kids? Are you guys here? This isn't funny…Come on out…"
Her voice got smaller as the silence pervaded. Her eyes glanced around and with the exception of it being dark and her being alone. It was only when she noticed the light through the slightly afar doorway with voices in the distance.
Out of curiosity, she decided to head out and see what the commotion was about. When she got there, her jaw dropped when she saw Samantha and a large creature that resembled that of a Wendigo in folklore, appearing humanly skinny and lanky.
Or at least, she assumed that much, though there were obvious discrepancies like the blonde hair and a humanoid face over the deer skull attached on top. This creature had tattered clothing and was covered in blood, having hooves at the end of her feet(she assumed it was her due to the chest).
At first, she was terrified that something would see her, however when she got close to Samantha, she noticed that it didn't seem like either noticed her. In fact, upon closer inspection she saw that Samantha was noticeably younger than the one she was with moments ago…
'Am I…in her head? This has got to be some sort of memory…but of what?' She thought, still uncertain how she got here.
"Mommy," The younger Samantha asked,"Why do you always come back with blood on your hands whenever we befriend our guests?"
"Because sweetie," Who she assumed to be Martha started, her voice noticeably more feral than before,"This is how Mommy and Daddy survive. Luring those in need to a false sense of security before we eat them alive is how we keep ourselves alive. I thought I already went over that with you, Samantha."
"I know…I just don't get why. Why are we different compared to everyone else? And why can me and Timmy eat food while you two can't?"
"It's something you won't fully understand at your age. I'll fully explain it when you're older but I'll give you a sanitized version since it seems you won't stop asking. Long before you and your brother were around, me and your Father used to live as ordinary folk until our parents neglected to pay their share of taxes. They tried to cheat a Deadly Sin outta their money and in exchange for their lives, Ralphie and I got sent to an asylum. It was a long story but that Belphegor fellow was intent on trying to revive a long extinct species called Wendigo's. They were hunted to extinction though it seemed he managed to get a sample before they went and were gone for good and tried to create a hybrid. I don't know why he wanted them back. Then again, that man always struck me as someone who never thought if he should, but rather if he could. And could he do, because Ralphie and I were his…results of the attempt to revive said species…"
"So it worked?"
"Not exactly. He full blown Wendigo's but he simply couldn't do it. No matter how many times he tried, he simply couldn't morph us enough to make us anything more than artificial half breeds. Though that didn't mean he didn't try as when he experimented with Ralphie, he responded rather poorly to more insertion of Wendigo DNA and as a result, he simply refused to take orders and ran off on the rare opportunities he let us out of the facility. I ran after him of course and while I think Belphegor did try pursuing, he was too lazy to go after us, especially since we were 'failed' experiments at that point."
"Is that why Daddy doesn't visit us a lot?"
"Yes…He's too…feral to be let around you at this age. I fear he might harm you. Perhaps when you're ordered and your Wendigo genes come on, you'll be able to spend more time with it. Thankfully, it seems you and your brother inherited my side of the genes so you wont need to feed constantly like he has to to avoid starvation…"
"Does that mean I'll never have friends?"
"Friendship is simply a sacrifice you'll have to make. I'm afraid if you wish to survive, Samantha…" She remarked sadly before embracing her child,"I know you didn't ask for this, but neither did we and we have to make the best of it, understand?"
"Yes, Mommy…"
Charlie wished she could do something but when she tried to reach out, her hand went right through them and she suddenly found herself being ejected out of Samantha's memory faster than the speed of light…
Her eyes snapped open as she returned to reality, falling backwards. The Princess then looked at everyone in astonishment, not too sure what happened to her. Samantha was dazed and her brother checked on her to ensure his sister was alright.
Judging by their expressions, they seemed equally bemused. There was silence before Charlie asked,"How long will I be out?"
"What are you talking about?" Vox asked,"You were 'out' for like a minute at most. Though you looked completely out of it and it seemed like you just dazed out on us. Are you sick?"
"Yeah babe, we were worried about you," Angel said,"Is something wrong?"
Charlie quickly backed up on her feet and said,"I'm fine. Just, we need to get to the others before Martha puts an end to them…"
"Wait what?" Vox exclaimed,"W-What are you even talking about? Why would Martha hurt the others? That doesn't sound like her…"
"No time to explain! We gotta get to them before it's too late!"
The group followed Charlie's lead regardless of their confusion. When they got downstairs, they saw that the food that was on the table was mostly untouched and that none of their allies were anywhere to be seen.
"Shit! Where'd everyone go?" Vox hissed.
"They have to be out in the woods…" Charlie said,"It's the only place that makes any sense. We should go out there and try and see where they went…"
"Charlie, you know you don't have any powers, right?" Angel reminded,"You should probably let us handle it…"
"I can handle myself, Angel. I'll be fine…" She assured me,"So long as we stick together, we'll be alright…
Angel didn't like the sound of that, but frankly, they didn't have a lot of time. The others could be who knows where and time was ticking….
"Fine…just don't get out of sight, OK babe? Can't risk losing ya this far along…"
"I know.."
All four adults and pig counting Wiggles, headed out to track their friends down. The woods were rather vast and as they treaded through, the others couldn't help but feel an eerie vibe from the forest,especially at this time of night.
The only source of light was from the full moon. They weren't familiar with this area so no one was too certain where exactly they were going…
'Come on…gotta be around here somewhere..please still be alive..' Charlie thought desperately.
A miracle then occurred, Wiggles's snout taking a large whiff of the air before suddenly bolting right. Angel exclaimed,"Wiggles, no!" He quickly followed after his pet boar and everyone was forced to follow suit.
When they finally tracked down Wiggles and Angel, their expressions fell when they saw all their friends tied together in rope.
"Don't you dare run away from me again! Are you trying to give me a heart attack, little fella?" Angel heaved as he scooped Wiggles in his arms,"Holy shit! There they are! Guys! Wake up! We found you!"
No response.
"Are they alive?" Charlie asked worriedly.
Vox nodded as he approached, hearing their breathing,"They're alive. Just unconscious. Though I can't for the life of me imagine how they're so soundly asleep…"
"Cuz they ain't asleep, Vox, they're drugged," Angel remarked,"Someone doped them up real good from the looks of things. They're knocked out cold and likely won't be responsive anytime soon. That ain't a pleasant sign and I suggest we all get outta here before Martha comes back to finish the job…"
Before they could try this plan however, they all heard a feminine giggle from above,"Leaving so soon everybody? You haven't even stayed for dinner and you're already keen on leaving for shame…"
Charlie winced, already knowing that voice from prior,"Martha…Show yourself! We know you're out there! Quit taunting us and let our friends go!"
"Oh Charlie, I'm afraid I can't do that. It's not everyday you get loads of travelers in these parts and Ralphie and I were just waiting for a bite of new flesh…" She chuckled from the darkness,"But don't worry, you'll all get to stay for dinner this time. Ralphie, go do me a favor and greet our guests. They'll be just delighted to meet you…"
The next thing everyone knew, they saw a giant male wendigo jump from the trees in front of them. He too was a Wendigo and he seemed to eye them with hungry eyes, not even bothering to speak like his wife.
"EVERYONE RUN!" Charlie shouted.
Nobody needed to be told twice as they all ran for it. Ultimately, Ralphie couldn't chase them all, but that didn't mean he wasn't gonna try pursuing the unfortunate soul he was closest to.
Charlie was running like her life depended on it(well it did) and she cursed her luck. Ralph was hot on her tail and running in heels was already bad enough, the fact she was running in a forest full of trees, rocks and sticks did little to benefit her.
'Why did I have to be the one he wanted to chase!?' She thought. The worst part was that she lost track of the others during this entire chase and she couldn't tell where exactly she was even going from here….
Things only got worse when Charlie tripped on a rock and stumbled down a hill. She fumbled and tumbled, screaming as she rolled down the mound before landing in the dirt. The Princess groaned in agony as dirt and an assortment of other filthy little dresses.
"Ugh…' She whined,"What a fall…" Her eyes then looked behind her and her face paled considerably as Ralphie approached her like a predator eyeing his prey. He seemed to toying with her as he slowly stepped towards her with sharp pointed teeth that reeked of the smell of death…
"S-Stand back!" The Princess shouted desperately,"Someone help!" She cried, though her pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. Panic rose in her chest as he came closer, paralyzing her in place.
Fright gripped her heart as the notion of being eaten alive by a twisted experiment gone terribly wrong sunk in like a sinking ship in the ocean. The fear that threatened to consume her soul was burning like fire.
At this point, Ralph seemed to toy with her as he merely gazed at her terrified expressions with a glint of amusement as he licked his lips. Charlie braced herself for the worst as she held her hands up protectively over her head, knowing that it by itself would do very little to stop this creature from tearing her apart.
He then lunged at her and Charlie could've felt her entire life stop right then and there. All her fear flared up in that moment and the only thing she could think of was the jaws of that creature closing in on her as she awaited the inevitable…
When the bite didn't come, she peaked her eyes open and gasped when she saw…a shield? It was completely unexpected and Charlie herself didn't know how to react to the sight of the sudden field of energy.
'Did…did I do that?' She thought in disbelief, her fear waning slightly as it was replaced with confusion.
Ralphie seemed confused by the shield as well, though that didn't stop from attempting to break through it. Charlie winced as his teeth began to break through the shield,causing cracks until it eventually shattered into pieces…
Ralphie seemed ready to crunch down on her for real, though it was stopped when he wrapped a lasso around his neck and yanked him back. To her utter amazement, Angel was using his lasso to suffocate him and the former Porn Star used his strength to slam him against the ground.
"And stay down you vile animal!" He snapped before kicking him, yanking his lasso around his neck to ensure the bastard would stay down. It was a struggle but Angel pulled harder and harder until a sickening snap of bone was heard and Ralphie's body crumbled to the ground…
Charlie gasped at the sight of his body, horrified at the sight,"Is..is he?"
"Yes…" Angel answered,"He's dead. He ain't causing any more trouble…" Angel then raped Charlie and hugged her,"I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner babe, by the time I noticed you weren't with me, I already thought you were dead. Just glad that bastard didn't manage to kill ya…"
"Well, that's partly because I protected myself…"
"With what?" He asked,"Charlie, you don't have any special powers like we do. You couldn't have protected yourself against something like this. Just be grateful to creatures like him who play with his food…"
"But I did…" She whined before feeling rather weak, her head spinning and her knees feeling like jello. With her fear dying down, the effect of using the shield took its toll and strained her body.
"Woah, you OK?" He asked as she slumped against the ground,"You look awful…"
"I…I'm just really…drained…" She admitted,"I think I'm gonna need to…lie…down…" She then closed her eyes and Angel winced before holding her tightly…
"Don't worry Charlie, I gotcha…Just gonna carry you back once I'm certain it's safe…"
Meanwhile, Vox was trying to run away. Martha was taunting him while chasing him and she was relentless as hell.
"Vincent, there's no need to run away. I won't hurt you…that much…" She teased,"Trust me, I'll make it quick and painless when I tear your throat out…"
Yeah…you could imagine that didn't comfort him one bit.
It didn't help that Martha was faster than her Wendigo form gave credit for and it felt as though she was just toying with him, stalking him inches behind to give an illusion of escape while being right on his heels.
He had no idea where the others went and he didn't know why Martha targeted him specifically but he REALLY wished she didn't.
Things only got worse when Vox ran right into a tree. He had neglected to pay attention to what was in front of him and he slammed right into the hulking piece of oak.
It didn't take much for Martha to grab him by the neck and slam him against the oak a few times, leaving him a disorientated mess.
"Aw, are you getting tired, Vincent? Don't fall asleep on me, it'd be such a shame for you to go unconscious before I eat you alive…" She taunted only to pause when she heard a voice cry out,
"Mommy, stop!" Timmy shouted.
Martha tilted her head a bit and saw her kids standing there several feet away.
"Timmy..Samantha, what I have told you two about coming outside while Mommy's working? I'm a little busy but don't worry, dinner is gonna be ready soon so please just turn away unless you want to watch that…"
"Mommy, don't kill him!"
"And why not? We need to eat, children…It's the only way to sustain our survival. You want Mommy to be there for you, don't you? Then you must understand why this is necessary…" The blonde then glanced at Vox's neck and sank her teeth into it, drawing blood.
Vox screamed in agony at the bite. The former TV Demon struggled to breath as Martha's teeth were dangerously close to cutting his jugular. He believed that death was coming for him once again and prayed that it'd be swift…
Only to suddenly be dropped to the ground as a sickening slice was heard. The kids were screaming and while his body was screaming in agony, his vision managed to catch sight of Martha, who seemed to be lacking an arm.
To his horror, he saw her disembodied arm lying right in front of him and he nearly had a heart attack. Martha grit her teeth at the wound and turned, growling as she said,"You…"
Helsa revealed herself from the darkness. Martha's eyes were filled with blind fury at the sight of her and despite her injury, she ran on adrenaline as she charged at her with her sharp claws, intent on tearing Helsa apart…
The Princess of Envy responded by throwing her other fan at her, slicing Martha's head clean off her shoulders. Her head soon landed on the floor with the rest of her body, laying lifeless…
Helsa then used her ice magic to bring her fans back to her, holding the bloodied weapons with a sense of pride. The children immediately saw her and ran, crying as they fled the scene to who knows where.
She then approached Vox, glaring at him with a look of superiority and coldness. Despite not being able to vocalize her words, he could already tell just from those eyes she was giving the 'I told you so' type of glare.
Vox struggled to his feet and made a face, uncertain how to respond. He knew he had to say something to her and swallowed his pride,"Uh…thanks for saving me…again…" He mumbled, feeling embarrassed he had to get saved by her several times,"I guess you were right after this time…sorry about that…Can we like…pretend this never happened?"
Helsa was giving a look of contempt before scoffing and turning her back towards him, ignoring him.
"Are…are you seriously giving the cold shoulder? Come on! I said I was sorry, OK!" Vox hissed as he chased after her. Helsa continued ignoring him, even as they caught up with Angel and Charlie, who had passed out.
"What happened to her?"
"Eh, couldn't tell ya," Angel admitted,"She's been out like this for a bit and I didn't wanna take any risks assuming that crazy bitch was still around. I handled her husband but I was worried about getting Charlie caught up in the mix though it seems you've handled it…"
He said this while looking at Helsa's bloodied fans.
Angel then glanced at Vox and chuckled as he put two and two together,"Did your girlfriend save your sorry ass again, Vox? You're looking more like a damsel in distress than the literal Princess."
"Shut up, Angel…" He growled as he rubbed his sore neck,"I don't want to talk about it."
"Eh, whatever you say. All I know is that we should probably get outta here. The townspeople are gonna freak out when they see the aftermath and we should skip town. Staying here ain't safe anymore and I think it's best we stay on the road from now on…"
"Fair point, though we should free the others…"
They all headed back to where the others were being kept and Helsa used her fans to cut the rope. From there, the others soon came around and eventually asked what happened, to which they gave a very quick rundown of the situation…
Husk blanked,"So let me get this straight, not only were we drugged but we nearly got eaten by Wendigos…"
"Pretty much," Angel said.
"I knew something was wrong about this place," Vaggie hissed,"Should've known it's just another fucked up trap to lure people. I cannot believe we were this close to becoming those crazy people's dinner!"
"Well, on the bright side, we're still alive so that's something!" Alastor proclaimed.
"So what now?" Niffty asked,"What do we do from here?"
"I say we get the hell outta here while we still van," Velvet grumbled,"I'm sick of this place and I sure as hell ain't staying after that fucking mess…"
Everyone agreed to head out from there on, not desiring to linger in this town for much longer. The sooner they put this place behind them, the better.
Thanks for the views, tell me what you think below and I'd love to know your thoughts.
Enigmus-288:When obviously it's 'Our' Mammon lol. It's weird but intriguing IMO. Not to mention, Mammon knows damn well that Lucifer will (intentionally or not) fuck things up if left to his own devices. Remember, they're doing this to get Heaven's help and by playing the long game with their cards, they might just earn a smidge of trust long enough to find where the actual hell Charlie just went off to since that's the whole reason the are there.