Not wasting anymore time Alice moves closer to Apollo, her sword ready to strike full of controlled emotions.
Apollo responded with an effortless parry, allowing him to punch Alice in the stomach.
Alice returns the favor by grabbing onto Apollo's arm so she can stay close to him. Her physical contact makes her arts stronger, she wants his brain to turn to mush. It will make the kill that much easier.
This didn't go unnoticed as Apollo felt the effects of Alice's arts spike that much more. Not caring he didn't bother freeing himself wanting to engage in close quarters combat as to him, it's the most fun.
Suddenly, Apollo felt a chill run along his body. The soft sound of crackling could be heard as he stole a quick glance at his clothes.
It was ice.
'What!'
The thought never passed his mind of someone using two vastly different types of arts at the same time since nearly all casters he has met used one arts technique.
That split second of thinking was all Alice needed for her ice to spread along the like an infection going from his shoulder all the way to his fingers.
Understanding the situation was heading south most people would build distance from their attacking but due to the brain rot and Apollo's personality. He didn't back down, rather he wanted to get closer.
The joy of battle burned just as bright as the hate in Alice's eyes.
Alice, seeing Apollo's arm frozen, decided to take the first step. Feeling the energy go from gut to her arms, Alice used the arm gripping Apollo and brought her hand up.
A familiar sense of pain rushed through Apollo as he instinctively dashed back. The sound of ice breaking was heard as shards of ice and blood mixed together flew past his and Alice's vision.
The cold wind of the air was biting Apollo's shoulder. The reality of the situation was clear to Apollo.
His left arm was gone, fragments of itself were now scattered across the snow.
"Die and never come back."
Alice pierced Apollo's hip and in a rush of rage, adrenaline, and passion. She pulled the sword up, cutting Apollo across the chest. A fountain of blood came splashing all over the place coating Alice's face and clouding her nose with the smell of iron.
The slash lasted only a second, warmth drained out of Apollo replacing it with the cold embrace of the Kjerag wind. Like sand flowing out a broken hourglass, his blood spilled.
She looked down to see whatever blood remaining dyed the snow red. However she noticed the light rise and fall of Apollo's chest.
"Get out of my sight." While many would feel relief at the death of their problems, the cluster of emotes swirling in Alice didn't leave her. She clutched the hilt of her sword hard enough to make knuckles go white.
With her sword held high, Alice stabbed Apollo.
Then she stabbed again.
And again.
And again.
Alice lost count of how many times she stabbed him, each one filled with as much hate as the previous while memories of the past flashed in her mind. It took a little more than two dozen stabs before Alice calmed down.
Alice got up to her feet and made sure that all the casters that Apollo knocked out were ok, gladly not of them suffered major injuries. However out of everyone Lappland had gotten the worse out of all of them, not by much but she was the only one to have blood. Seeing that Apollo wasn't breathing anymore she made her way towards the hut.
"What's taking them so long?" Alice asked as she wondered why the others weren't back as she entered the hut with one of the casters on their shoulders to get them out of the cold.
"What the hell?"
Alice felt her jaw drop as she looked around, what seemed like a simple one floor hut in the middle of forest was nothing compared to what was inside.
Walls of stone reaching over 5 meters tall, much taller than the hut. Along the walls were various engraving, something you would see in ancient ruins.
"I'm assuming everything is well for you."
Alice, sword still in hand, got into a fighting stance while turning to the source only to see Courier standing on the wall patching his wounds.
Not feeling any danger Alice relaxed and made her way towards Courier.
"Where are the others? What's the situation? Where are the hostages?" Alice rapidly fired her questions.
Courier raised his hands in surrender. "Getting to the hostages will be harder than we thought. Wherever we are, the one thing we know is that this place is a maze. Where's the hiker? We could interrogate them so we can make this go faster." Courier asked.
"That would be a good idea, sadly he's on his way to meet the goddess as we speak." Alice said.
"Damn, oh well. No use worrying about a deadman. " He asked.
"They're all alive, none of them had major wounds. Help me with getting the other inside."
Engravings depicting people in armor, weapons in hand. Some engravings have people bowing to a being, praying to them. Others are showing people building something.
"What is this place?" Alice asked. "It shouldn't be possible that a place this big can fit within the hut."
Courier simply shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have all the details, however Marth did explain that it's likely another aspect of her and her teacher's arts."
"So not only can she create and break barriers but also do whatever is happening here. I'm sure you can tell me but where is Marth and her teacher from?" Alice asked.
"It'll be better to ask them yourself when we are finished as I don't think it's my place to talk about others lifes." Courier replies. "Let's get the others out of the snow, I'll then take you to the others."
After everyone was inside Alice followed Courier as they took various twists and turns. As they walked by Alice eyes stayed locked on the walls. Depictions of people traveling were carved into the walls with great detail. The lack of wear by the passage of time stayed in her mind.
"Looking at the wall too? We noticed them too, Sharp mentioned how they were built recently as they have signs of damage. Perhaps the ones who built them are still here." Courier said.
It didn't take long before the two made it to the others. A barrier similar to the one that was outside was blocking everyone's path. Its soft violent glow was the only thing different between the two.
"How's progress on the barrier going?" Courier asked.
Sharp turned his head matching their eyes. He could only shake their heads in denial.
Marth was kneeling in front of the barrier, a magic circle the same color as the barrier was in front of her. It's symbols shifting and turning like a clock as she tries to break through it.
"Couldn't you do the same thing you did outside, a barrier within a battier?" Sharp asked.
"I'm sorry Mr. Sharp but I can't. The way this barrier was made is very different. This one has much more thought than the one outside. This barrier would crush mine instantly." Marth explained as she continued to work on the magic circle.
"Must mean we are going the right way." Alice asked.
Courier looked around and noticed the lack of two people. "Where's Lady Silverash and Matterhorn?"
"Cliffheart wanted to explore the place hoping that she may find a clue, Matterhorn joined her for protection." Sharp explained.
"I see, did she get anything for before she left?" Courier asked.
"The only thing she came to was that this place is a place of worship, it's safe to say it's not native to Kjerag. The style of this place looks like something from the forest of Sargon." He said as he pointed at one of the walls.
On the wall showed a depiction of many people in a line, all of them looking at the one person who was sitting. A book and something right in hand, the image of the sun was behind seemingly bathing the person in it's light.
"Ah, I see you're reading the walls. I hope they aren't too damaged to read."
Everyone instantly turned around, drawing their weapons at the source of the unknown voice.
What they saw was a middle aged man, he wore a dark robe causing him to have the 'Wise Wizard' aura. The stray gray hair on his beard and hair were the only light colors.
"Guys, don't worry. He's with us, we found him when we looked around."
This time it was Cliffheart with Matterhorn behind her, the sight of them caused Sharp, Courier and Alice to relax a little. However none of them removed their gaze from the old man.
"Who are you?" Alice asked "Are you with the kidnapper?"
The Old Man looked around, getting a lay of the land. "I am not, but I did indeed meet the kidnapper; afterall I'm the one who allowed him to use this space."
That response lit a fire in Alice, rather it lit a fire in everyone.
"So you knew what they were doing, knowing that they were harming innocent children in a way they won't forget. Knowing that you did nothing, is that what you're saying?" Alice asked.
"Yes." The Old Man replied.
"Marth, how is the barrier coming along?" Sharp asked.
"I think I'm getting it, gladly the barrier isn't trapped so there is nothing to worry about. Just give me a few minutes." Marth said as she continued to work.
"Since we have time to spare, could you perhaps tell us where we are and this place of this size fits in that one floor hut? Even with my limited knowledge of originium arts, this seems impossible. " Courier asked.
"Originium arts you say?" The Old Man ruffled his beard as he lost himself in thought momentarily. "That's the power of this place, I see. Let's just say the 'originium arts' used here is that of a different nature, that's the best way to describe it."
"Would you please answer the question I asked." Courier said.
"Ah, yes, my apologies. This is one of the Temple of Names that was built for our god, The Name Keeper. Where we remember those who have lived" The Old Man answered.
The Old Man cracked into a small smile as he started to get into his groove when it came to the legends of the Name Keeper. It was one of his many joys in life. Before he could continue however the sound of shattered glass resonated in the Temple.
"I got it!" Marth said as she said with a proud expression on her face, beads of sweat from stress rolled down her face. It took her a moment to realize something important. "Sorry."
"Don't apologize, child. With the barrier gone you all should be on your way." The Old Man said. "If you wish to ask me a question on a later date, I will be here for a few more days."
"Don't worry I will. You will be put under criminal charges, that much I promise you." Alice said as she walked away.
Everyone else followed behind her as their attention now was towards the main objective: freeing the hostages.
"I will love to see you try, like I said. I will be right inside this Temple." The Old Man said.
Marth wanted to ask something to the man but when she turned around The Old Man was gone, it was as if he wasn't there to begin with.
The group quickly made their way through the Temple, much to their surprise there wasn't another barrier to deal with. Before long they found themselves in front of a large door, just like the walls it had engravings on them. On the door were more depictions of the Name Keeper, this he was looking down on everyone.
Marth didn't find anything on the door so when she opened them the sounds of muffled voices entered their ears. Turning to the source, in the corner of the room was everyone from the church. They tried to speak yet it was like none of them could open their mouths, as if they were sealed shut somehow.
"Mom, Dad, everyone!" Alice ran towards everyone as all the tension in her heart leaked out of her heart.
Everyone looked at Alice, light returned as they saw the woman who would save them. The rest of the group followed behind Alice.
"Interesting." Sharp said as he looked at the hostages.
"What is it, Sharp?" Matterhorn asked.
"None of them are injured. In fact it looks like they were completely taken care of, not a speck of dirt was on them." Sharp pointed out.
Making sure everyone was ok the group tried to communicate but to no success. Alice's mother was pointing at her neck.
"Marth, you have any idea why they can't talk?" Alice asked as she began to inspect her mother's neck.
Alice looked towards Marth seeing her face scrunched together, worry clear in her eyes.
"Where's Mr. Apollo?" All she could produce was a weak whipper as she made eye contact with Alice's Mother. "Did you see a young man with red eyes with you all? Y-you can't miss him."
Alice's mother hesitated for a moment before pointing in a direction, following her finger the figure of someone laying down could be seen. However unlike the others who were taking care of, the person laying down had a small pool of blood under them.
Marth found herself running toward the laying figure to see the one she was looking for. His white hoodie was stained in blood, his face was roughed up. Compared to the others, the state Apollo was in was concerning; as if the kidnapper had something personal against him.
"Let's get everyone here, Apollo will get medical attention once we get back." Courier said.
It didn't take long as the hostages followed behind the group with Cliffheart carrying Apollo on her shoulder. They retraced their steps, however along the way Alice started to think.
'This mission is odd, no rather this mission has gone too well. Even with the fight outside the fact that the kidnapper was alone, along with using abilities that only Marth knows is simply too..perfect.'
"Ah, thanks for leaving me. The ground was really nice, you assholes." Said the now awake Lappland, small patches of dirt on her face and hair were clear to see.
"Good to see you awake, as you see mission success. The kidnapper is dead and the hostages have been saved, although Mr. Apollo is injured and he is still alive gladly." Marth said as she pointed to Cliffheart.
Lappland makes her way toward Cliffheart and starts to sniff her, more so Apollo though.
"I see, if that's the case let's get out of here." Lappland said as she made her way to the door.
As everyone made their way outside, the sense they saw was something that shouldn't be possible. Something straight out of a story.
Standing so far away from the hut stood a lone person, one of their arms gone with blood still dripping onto the snow.
"Take them."
For the first time since this all started, the kidnapper, no, the Hiker spoke. A deep voice, one of a being that has seen a great number of things resonated around them as if the world was a megaphone. He lifted his finger and pointed, he pointed to three people. To the three women that he wished to see.
Chains of ice crackled and formed binding Marth, Alice and Lappland before they could react. Lappland tried to break out of the ice with her sword, but all that followed was thud.
"Alice, we'll lead the hostages out of here." Courier said.
Courier and the others led the hostages around the Hiker, and while he kept his on them he never took a step forward. He didn't return his gaze to the three women until the hostages were out of his barrier, leaving Marth, Lappland, Alice and him.
The Hiker's aura was that of nothing, there was no hate, no drive, no sense of purpose. Just someone existing in a space, like a cog in a machine.
The ice chains removed themselves from the women, giving them back their mobility.
Weapons drawn from Lappland and Alice with Marth in the back preparing a spell, all they could do now was fight.
Fight against the kidnapper of Alice's Parents and children.
Fight against the person that defeated Lappland in combat.
Fight against the person who harmed the person Marth held dear.
To fight against the Hiker, the beast of this story.