Chapter 704

Kat and Blue stepped forward together, Kat ducking to avoid catching her horns on the low hanging wall. A few steps in the ground started to shake. Blue was about to fall, when Kat’s tail snaked out and wrapped around the shorter girl’s waist keeping her on her feet. The door behind them sealed itself up, preventing passage backwards before the dark closed in.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

But only for a moment. Bright colours of all kinds exploded around them. Reds, blues greens, and everything in between. She was in an ever changing kaleidoscope and it felt almost as if the world was opening up to them. It was largely reminiscent of D.E.M.O.N.S. teleportation but Kat’s feet remained firmly on the ground. It was not her that was moving but the rest of the world.

The joy was cut short though when a creepy laugh rang through the halls. Kat wasn’t one to get scared easily but there was something strange about this laugh. She didn’t just feel it in her ears, she felt in her muscles and bones. She felt it in her heart, and most strangely... she felt it in her energy. Her demonic energy normally so immune to outside forces seemed to shudder a bit at the sound before a sharp crack startled Kat out of her confusion.

The rapidly shifting colours now had a crack running through them in the top right, as if there was a glass ceiling slowly breaking apart above them. Yet between these cracks Kat could feel her eyes itching. She could feel that there was some Truth hidden not by illusion but by her own lacking perception. Her eyes were trying, and she could feel tears running down her face that were not truly tears at all but tracks of black blood.

Before it could get any worse though, the cracks spread over the sky, breaking apart and falling behind the horizon leaving only the blackness once again. Kat felt herself shudder from the experience, eyes rapidly healing unnoticed by Kat herself. Blue didn’t have anything to protect her from the sight, yet she also lacked anything to give her the slight glimpse either so she felt drained but healthy still.

Kat heard the harsh click of a light as a stage light shone down on a chair in the distance. Kat could see a collapsed figure hanging limply over the chair. They were a tattered dress that looked worn and frayed on the edges with large patches missing from the dress section revealing legs that looked like they’d had the water sucked out of them, all chapped and grey. The dress might have once been white but now it was covered in various stains of all kinds, many looked like blood stains while others were dirt and grim.

The figure had long purple hair that was closer to black then blue, that covered her face and pooled at the floor. Despite the figure was rather smile, looking more like a young teen or an old child rather then an adult. She had no chest to speak of and while her arms looked healthier at first glance they had two long cuts right up the centre of them that had scarred over.

.....

Kat felt her mouth dry as she stared at the scene, tail tightening around Blue protectively without her notice. Blue wasn’t faring much better. She couldn’t see all the details but things weren’t looking great. “You didn’t want to play with meee,” said a soft echoey voice that bounced around the cavern.

“I swear if this is about the fucking chess set!” growled Blue and it took a second to work out what she was talking about. *Oh my god. That’d be right. Thyme would definitely take the chance to set up this creepy fucking alternative route to this puzzle if people didn’t want to take the time and effort to play chess. I’m already starting to regret not just going with the chess match.*

In the end though, the only verbal response was another round of laughter before the spotlight flashed out. Kat released her hold on Blue and pulled out her fans while scanning the area. All she could see was black and it was really not ideal. Kat’s ears strained for the slightest indication of her opponent before she managed to just barely catch the sound of rushing win to the side of Blue. Without thinking Kat practically teleported around Blue, using her full speed energy included pushing back against her bracelets restrictions as much as she possibly could.

Even then, all Kat could do was barely get an arm in the way. Sharp teeth latched on as the decrepit figure seemed to leap out of the darkness. Kat swiped at it with her other arm but the girl, monster, whatever it was just ripped the flesh and muscle from her arm before disappearing back into the blackness. Kat bit her cheek to keep from screaming, ignoring the blood now filling her mouth. Kat backed up slowly even as her skin and muscle knitted themselves back together.

Kat partially wrapped her tail around Blue. Not truly touching but close enough she could finish the hold if necessary and pull Blue out of the way. Kat wasn’t really sure what to do against this thing or what the point of this room was. *At least the chess room was straight forward enough. Beat the chess game. Not whatever nightmarish task this is. Do we need to kill the thing? Avoid it? Just survive for a while?*

Kat was about to voice her questions when she heard the sound of wind once again. Kat moved around Blue and intercepted the figure with an open fan this time. The thing bit down on Kat’s fan the sound of screeching metal on metal rang out, causing Kat to flinch, making her unprepared for the follow up swipe against her arm. Luckily for Kat it seemed most of the creatures strength was in its jaws because all it managed was a shallow cut that barely pierced her skin before the creature screamed and fled in frustration.

“Got any plans Blue?” asked Kat as she backed up once again.

“I... I’m sorry Kat... I’m not fast enough for whatever this freakish thing is. Even if I had the spell prepped I... I don’t think I can catch it... I don’t even know if I can dodge it by myself...” Blue’s voice was shaking slightly but her body was taught and ready. She was much more afraid then Kat but she had faith in her temporary partner and wasn’t simple going to break down crying. She could do that later.

Kat waited for the tell tale sound of the creature, that split second of rushing wind as it exited the shadows, and was completely ready this time. She pulled her fan out, keeping it closed. When the face appeared from the darkness Kat shoved her fan sideways into its mouth, preventing it from closing. She then took her other fan and slashed into its neck.

Now, Kat expected a little resistance from this. Perhaps it had slightly tough skin, or bones that could withstand the force. If not that then at least a last ditch attack of some kind. Instead the fan slid straight through the creatures body sending its lower section collapsing to the floor. The strong jaws still locked around Kat’s fan.

*Well... that was a bit easier then I th-* Kat’s early celebration ended when the body melted into the floor and the head melted into a pile of rotting flesh, sinking down past her hand and into the floor as well. Kat was so shocked she nearly missed the next audio queue. Kat’s tail yanked downwards sending Blue sprawling as Kat didn’t think she had time to run around the fae. The creature was willing to make Kat pay for that inattention.

It came from behind and latched onto her wing joint, crushing everything it could, breaking the ligaments, shredding muscles and skin, and cracking the bone. It made to tear Kat’s left wing clean off but she managed to elbow it in the face, popping it like an annoying zit causing blood to fly everywhere. Kat growled to cover up the pain as her wing pulled itself together. She felt like her back was on fire and she wanted nothing more than to beat the creepy little thing into the ground. Multiple times if necessary.

Kat yanked Blue back to her feet trying not to be annoyed she couldn’t use her tail to strike back during the creatures attack because it was trapped on the ground with Blue. Kat didn’t regret that choice but it was also clearly limiting her somewhat. Kat wished she had some better way of protecting Blue then with just her body but nothing was coming to mind. The room was nothing but a thick expanse of shadows and the creature seemed to come from everywhere.

If Kat didn’t have any restrictions, she’d have just put Blue on her shoulders and summoned up a whole lot of fire to coat the floors and walls and try and destroy whatever trap this was. Sadly, she did have those limitations. Still, Kat could dream