13 Flames of Turmoil (1/2)

Chapter 13: Flames of Turmoil

The emerald eyes of the queen of fiends were locked on Skyletra, as she slowly rose to her feet. The armed Templar were still drawing near, hardly noticing that she was taking a few steps backwards. ”(If I don't retreat now, I'm dead...)” Nye thought.

”I wouldn't take another step, if I were you. You're going to make this harder than it needs to be, girl. Remain still, and we'll make your death quick, and painless.” Skyletra instructed. ”Surround her!” She ordered.

Nye was gritting her fangs, as the Templar quickly obeyed Skyletra's command. Her eyes trailed for some kind of opening, in a subtle panic.

”There's no escaping now, Amygdala. You're dead.” Skyletra grinned.

The wind was picking up around them, with the Templar aiming their weapons at Nye. She took a breath, before roughly slamming her uninjured wing into a Templar behind her. This caught the man by surprise, as he fell off the roof.

”DETAIN HER!” Skyletra demanded.

This had her forces in a frenzy, and Nye took this opportunity to leap off the side of the building, to the ground below. Luckily the side she chose was on the opposite path of the city streets, closer to the lush woodlands, that lay outside the city walls of the harbor town. She jumped over the body of the man, that she knocked from the building, hurrying for the safety of the trees. The Templar were flooding after her, however as they pursued into the vast brush of the woods, there was no trace of Nye.

”SPREAD OUT! FIND HER, AND DON'T LET HER ESCAPE!! I WANT TO SEE HER DEAD! YOU HEAR ME!?” Skyletra snapped angrily.

”SER!” The Knights acknowledged, breaking off to cover more ground in the vast forest location.

”Milady Tactician.” Sally called, catching up to her.

”What is it?” Skyletra sneered back to the centaur, and her leashed, that was close behind her.

”I was to inform thee, that Milady Spymaster has taken her leave to Belmont. She asked this noble steed to assist thou, if the fair lady Tactician hath need of mine lance.” Sally reported, humbly.

This made Skyletra scoff. ”Search for the female Amygdala. DO NOT let her escape. She could be allied with the Angel of Death, and we do not wish for her to inform him of our plans. Savvy!?” Skyletra retorted, in agitation.

”Aye, Milady.” Sally nodded in understanding.

”Good.” Skyletra turned off, proceeding to seek Nye out on her own.

Sally looked to her leashed, ”Hither squire, we have a task at hand.” She said, proceeding further into the woods.

”Yeah-yeah, I heard the lady.” Hige groaned a bit.

Neither had noticed Nye peering from above them in the treetops. Her wings hung low, still bleeding from her wounds. She was gritting her teeth from the pain, as she took advantage of the situation. She had to tell him he was in danger, but with her injuries she would not be able to fly. ”I need to find the nearest underground entrance, and locate Jack before the Templar do.” She muttered, weakly, as she descended to the ground, landing on her feet.

Elsewhere, in the same woods. Solitaire and Miles were traveling by foot from the train wreckage, heading to the nearest city. However, neither knew where they were, or where they were heading.

”I think it's safe to assume that we're lost.” Miles grumbled.

Solitaire was trailing a bit behind him, she seemed deep in thought. She remembered the other world, and the thought of being trapped here. ”(...I'll never be able to go back.)” She thought to herself. Her eyes panned downward. ”(Even if I could, I'm not human anymore... Maybe all those stories about the planet's spores weren't some old wives tale... Is that why I'm this way?..)”

”Hey! Are you listeningto me?” Miles snapped, but turned back around, seeing her looking sad. ”Solitaire? is something wrong?” His ears went back, as he furrowed his brows.

”Huh?” She looked over to him quickly. ”What? No, just thinking is all.” She tried to laugh, but it wasn't very convincing. ”Were you saying something?”

”Just that we're lost.” Miles shrugged.

”Oh.” Solitaire replied, right as her eyes caught something strange in the distance. She vaguely noticed an unusual woman, flying off on a broomstick. ”D-Did ya see that?” She pointed to the sky, over the treetops where she spotted the sight.

”See what?” Miles glanced over, tilting his head. His tail swished slightly. ”You're loosing your mind out here, Sol. I don't see nothin'.”

”It was a bleeding witch, how did you not see that?!” She exclaimed, growing frustrated.

”Maybe cause I'm looking for a way outta this forest.” Miles rolled his eyes, as he resumed walking. ”Wait, witch?!” He turned around fast, noticing Solitaire proceeding in the other direction. ”HEY! What's gotten into you!?ARE YOU CRAZY! Witches are BAD news! HEY! SOL! GET BACK HERE!” Miles growled, running after her in concern.

In yet another section of the woods, Zyron was traveling on his own. The area he was in felt very dark and dreary, compared to the other portions of the forest. He crossed over a stream, pausing to get a drink from the water. After wiping his face, one of his ears quirked a bit, and he glanced over his shoulder. ”Just when I thought I was away from the risk of being caught... Templar show up. For fuck's sake...” He groaned.

The Templar weren't too close to him yet, but being a dog , his sense of smell was much farther heightened; compared to that of an average human's awareness. They seemed to be venturing through the plant covered terrain, cutting away vines and branches that got in the way of their path. Zyron was luckily at a good distance from them, that he hadn't been noticed.

The dog continued deeper into the darker parts of the woods, the grass was becoming rather barren, with withered vines overgrowing near an upcoming rickety old hanging bridge. Zyron was seeming more on edge, as he began to cross. Below the rotting panels of the wooden bridge, was an empty pit of nothingness. It made him quiver uneasily, causing him to rush further ahead. It was even beginning to grow dark, with a brief view of the moons seen over head. Subtle eerie sounds made the canine leashed stammer, with his tail between his legs. Ahead of him, he could see many trees that were missing the leaves, but instead, nooses with skulls and bones of many skeletal forms; hung from the dying branches.

”Shit...” Miles muttered, shivering uneasily.

”What do we have here? Seems my lost little puppy finally came home.” A sultry female voice spoke into his ear, her red lips nearly touching his fur.

His eyes widened fearfully, as the heartbeat in his chest was rapidly intensifying. Zyron scrambled backward, before falling to his rear in panic. His gaze had turned back, seeing the same female witch that Solitaire had spotted before. She was sitting side saddle on her floating broomstick, as she giggled. The broom itself looked make-shifted to be used as a weapon, with a chain at the front that held a human skull.

”Oh crap... J-Just keep back....” Zyron's heart was beating out of his chest, in fear. It was plain to see that she was more than likely the person responsible for the death around them.

The witch's wavy orange hair illuminated under the night sky, from the torch like flames that emerged from the top of her pigtails. Her glowing red eyes that focused on Zyron, held a beauty mark beneath the left one. He also noticed, covering her well endowed body, she wore a crimson colored dress, styled at the bottom with perfectly symmetrical pointed edges. She carried many accessories, with dark detail, as well as matching red boots. ”Such a bad dog, running away from me.”

Zyron was shaking, sweat frantically trailing down his face. This made the witch smirk, in an eerie fashion. She dismounted from her broom, holding it to her side, as she approached the fearful leashed. She crouched down, like a lady, before holding her out stretched fingers in front of his face. The long, pointed nails were only a short distance from touching his skin.

”By the flame that burneth bright, We call thy name into the night. Thee we invoke, by the moon-led sea, by the standing stone and the twisted tree. By moonlit meadow, on dusky hill, When the haunted wood is bushed and still. Come to the charm of the chanted prayer, As the moon bewitches the midnight air. In fiery flame by starlight pale, in shadowy host that rides the gale.” The witch spoke an incantation, with a curling smirk.

Zyron's eyes became dull and tired, loosing all luster of sparkle. It was as if he was in a trance. The witch rose to her feet, using her index finger to call Zyron forward. Without a word, or thought, he stood to his feet. It only made the witch grin, as she sat back onto her broom, before she led him off deeper into the chilling woods.

Some time had passed, as Zyron returned to his senses. Weakly opening his eyes, he found himself in another section of the woods. He felt very disoriented, and in pain. His cloak was missing, and it appeared that his hands had been hammered into a tree, with a large spike through each palm. His feet were just barely touching the ground, but any slight movement, made a massive surge of pain course through his entire body. ”FUCK!” He bared his fangs, in agony.

His eyes squinted, peering down to the cold air that beat against his chest. There he noticed his jacket had been undone, but something felt VERY wrong. His stomach was churning, and felt like he had some sort of fever. There also seemed to be incisions on his belly, and lower back that had been stitched up carelessly. He could feel his whole body trembling. He coughed, wincing as some blood dripped from his lips. ”(What the fuck's happening to me!?.... Am... Am I going to die!?)” His thoughts were in complete disarray, as the fear rolled over him.

The sight of the hanging skulls around him didn't help his nerves either. However, at that moment, he heard that creepy laugh, one he recalled from his subconscious. ”Hmhmhm.” The witch had approached him, with a view of the back entrance of her hut behind her. She smirked, grabbing Zyron by his jaw.

He flinched, gritting his teeth. ”Y-You... What are you fucking doing to me!?” He spat out, his voice cracking.

”That's no way to talk to your master, Zyron.... Perhaps I should have sewn your mouth shut, when I closed those incisions up.” Her sharp eyes peered down to his chest, letting her hand leave his face to trail down it.

Zyron winced, as she dug her index finger into one of his wounds. Without hesitation, the hand rose to her face, and she licked his blood off her finger tips. Zyron's eyes grew panicked, squirming to get distance between them, but it was no use. Blood was now trailing from the infliction on him, that Witch's finger reopened.

”If you don't stop your barking, I may just decide to remove your tongue next.” The witch stated, her eyes focused on him. ”Then, if I did that, I wouldn't be able to hear you scream when I take the rest of you apart. Piece by piece.” She snickered.

”Why... Are you doing this to me?...” Zyron grimaced, the harshness of his pain gripping tighter around him.

”Why? You're a leashed, no one gives a damn about you creatures. Haven't you heard though, your kind make excellent ingredients for potions, as well as delectable cuisines. Hmhmhm.” Her lips curled, as she looked to him with her menacing gaze.

Zyron was perspiring heavier now. ”FUCK, You're gonna... E-E-E-E-E-Eat me!?” He cried out, trembling immensely.

Before she could respond; there was a sudden sound of crunching leaves not far off from the hut, but still out of view. Perhaps it came from the other side.

”HELP-” Zyron pleaded, screaming as loud as he could, but was soon silenced. The witch had her hand in front of his face, her index was placed against his lips.

”Shhh.... I want to savor your screams, my pet. A bad dog needs to be punished, for disobeying his master.” She said, her fingers stretching before his face. ”Silver dust of the brightest moon, slumber now if not too soon. ”

Zyron's eyes fell heavy, as his consciousness left him. The leashed quickly fell asleep, the witch's gaze thenturned to the sound from before.

”It would seem I have guests, hmhmhm.” She chuckled, her gaze aimed to the back door of her hut.

Approaching the front entrance of the hut, was Solitaire. Miles wasn't too far behind her. ”SOLITAIRE! HEY! WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME!?” Miles shouted, getting in front of her path. She halted, looking to him. Miles's had a stern gaze upon his face, but clearly was concerned. ”What's gotten into you!? You're pursuing a witch! Do you have the slightest idea what someone like that is capable of!? They virtually have no weaknesses, trust me!”

”Of course I do, I'm not daft!” Solitaire snapped back. ”I'm well aware that the weakness of fire and water are a myth. I learned that from reading some of the books back in Wynorex's library. They use vocalization for magic, as well as need to be able to see their targets.”

”Then why on Desdemuna are you even attempting to make contact!?” Miles retorted. ”You know how impossible it is to counter that?!”