42 Strike Back (1/2)

Chapter 42: Strike Back

Immediately, Pneuma's massive bladecame wailing her towards Pythagoras. Right swing, left swing; With Every move the enemy fiend parried each attack. For a moment the blade nearly grazed his teal pigmented flesh, only cutting through the fabric that clung to his skin. He smirked, seeming to be enjoying this a little too much.

”You bastard!!” Pneuma cried out in rage. ”How could you dare harm such a sweet little girl?! Molliana never hurt a soul, but that pure little child is dead because of you!! You're nothing but heartless monster!!” She sobbed angrily, continuing to violently swing her sword his way.

”Come'on, I know ya could do better than that. Words don't mean nothin' bitch, so quit squawkin' already. If you really wanna hurt me, you gotta try harder than that!” Pythagoras scoffed, continuing to move out of range of every slash of her blade, as if he were toying with her.

Finally she tore open a section of his chest. ”OOOOOOOooooohhahahaha!!!! I might just have felt somethin' WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!” He cackled, dashing Pneuma's way with ferocity.

Nye and Ashe quickly summoned their wraith-edge and dragon armor, but just as they were about to join the fray, Pneuma evaded his attack, and came crashing back with another ferocious strike. This time the blade struck downward and connected in between Pythagoras' giant claw hand.

Pythagoras continued to grin sadistically. ”Come on! CUT me!! DO IT!!!” He cackled, with deranged excitement in his tone, his claw gripping tightly to the sword.

Nye and Ashewyn proceeded to intervene, rushing inward. However their path was quickly obstructed by a monstrously masked man with blue hair, fashioned like a samurai. He had appeared from no where, as if he was a phantom. His skin pigment seemed odd, almost as if he were no longer living, and carried a massive scar on his left shoulder that didn't seem to have healed well. The faded green flesh even seemed to web between his clawed fingers, and his ears elf-like. His face however was completely concealed by the jarring masked he bore over it. This man wielded what seemed to be a bow-staff, and it was aimed their way, with both hands gripping to it. He appeared to be a fiend, who was once one of the Templar's forces; the mercenary named Enoch.

”Pyth. You're drawing too much attention from the onlookers. Do what the Queen asked of you, before you stir up something worse.” Enoch insisted sternly, with focus poised on the duo. They grew hesitant, understanding there was more to this, but they weren't ready to back down just yet.

”Oy... Always one to kill a mood, eh Enoch? Fine.” Pythagoras groaned, his eyes shifted back to the struggling female before him. ”As much as I'm enjoyin' this, I got other matters to deal with back home. You got your invitation.” He chuckled, crushing the blade with a tight squeeze of his serrated crab hand.

Pneuma could only watch as the blade of her massive sword crumbled into tiny fragments of metal shards.

”We'll be seein' more of each other soon. Don't keep us waitin' now.” Pythagoras grinned before hammering Pneuma backwards, letting her crash right into Nye and Ashe.

Within a matter of seconds, spiked shadow tendrils bursted up from the ground at his feet, ensnaring completely around him before transporting him back into the underground. He continued to cackle all the way down, before his voice fell silent. As he vanished, Pythagoras left behind a cavernous hole in the soil. Enoch glanced to Nye and the others through a cloud of dust, before jumping into the pit after Pythagoras.

As the debris cleared, Nye and Ashe quickly helped Pneuma back to her feet, disengaging their weapons and gear. They were unable to pursue Pythagoras or Enoch now, but Pneuma needed their support more than ever. They knew if they didn't watch over her, she could succumb to grief and surly perish.

”...” Pneuma had proceeded over to Molliana's disintegrating body, and collapsed to her knees.Her head was held low as particles of the young child's corpse floated off into the air like dust, while quickly evaporating into nothingness.

”.... Those Cultists have gone too far! It pisses me off that we let this happen... The nerve of that one getting in our way...” Ashewyn clenched his fist tightly, as he let his eyes trail over to what remained of Molliana's bloody corpse, as it continued to disappear into the air.

A hand was placed to his shoulder. ”Even if we pursued either of them, there's no way to guarantee we'd even catch them. Right now, Pneuma is at risk.” Nye said, looking over to Pneuma. ”We should form a strategy before proceeding into enemy territory, but only after we ensure Pneuma won't die of heartbreak.”

”Right. You're right... I'm letting my emotions get the better of me.” Ashewyn peered over to Pneuma. ”Mom....” He softly called.

”I should have protected you from this... you were so young... so innocent and pure...” Pneuma whimpered, faintly, as her teary eyes watched the dust of her adopted daughter quickly turn into nothing, but ash. ”It was hard enough to learn Vex disappeared... now even you?...My little girl.”

Ashewyn placed his hand to her arm, as he knelt down beside her. ”You did the best you could... that stunt though... it was risky. You care too much mom, You let your motherly needs take over your judgement... but there's nothing we can do now... She's gone... If we let ourselves become stricken with grief... we'll be quick to follow...”

”...” Pneuma didn't reply, as a tear rolled down her cheek, watching Molliana disappear from existence.

”We need to tell the others what happened... and dad... He's not going to take this well either.” Ashewyn sighed.

”Runfaust's going to be furious with me for letting our little Molly succumb to... such circumstances...” Pneuma's voice cracked, as she tried not to cry.

”I know... it's hurting right now... Trust me. She was my sis, but we'll get through this, mom. I promise...” Ashewyn hugged her, resting his head against her shoulder.

Pneuma leaned her head against his, placing her hand to the top of his. ”...”

”....” Nye glanced away from them, to the opening in the ground where the fiends had fled. She knew they would be paying a visit to Wynorex soon enough.

Eventually Nye and Ashewyn managed to get Pneuma back to Knothole, and make it inside the front entrance door. Nye stood there holding it open, as Ashewyn helped lead Pneuma down the stairs. As they got a distance ahead, Nye slowly followed after them, letting the door softly close behind her. Pneuma reached the bottom level, and Runfaust was quick to reach her.

”Did you find her?” He asked in such a frantic tone, you could tell he truly cared about his adopted daughter. His eyes darted behind them, while peering around urgently. ”Where is she? Why isn't Molliana with you?” Runfaust questioned, as he quickly turned back to his lover.

Pneuma felt it challenging to look at him, her eyes beginning to form tears that fell down her pale cheeks. ”Runfaust... I'm sorry... I couldn't protect her... Molly's gone...” She forced out, her voice cracking from the strong emotions flowing through her. ”I wasn't able to save our little girl.” She explained in such a distraught tone.

”Molly is....” Runfaust appeared in shock, as he took a wavering step back for a moment. Hisattentionhowever, suddenly shifted to Miles.

The feline was already shaken from the news, as he stopped in his tracks. ”They got Molly?...” Miles muttered, uneasily.

The towering fiend turned in Miles' direction, his hand raising up into the air, as it to hit the feline. ”Ever since you showed up, you've been nothing but trouble! You led the Templar right to us!!! Now my daughter is dead because of YOU!!-”

As the hand of justice came crashing down, it was quickly obstructed as Nye intervened. ”He had nothing to do with this, Faust. Besides that, it wasn't the Templar who got to Molliana. It was the cult.” She said, standing between him and the cowering feline behind her.

”Get out of the way, Nyghtmare. If he hadn't shown up with those women, then Molly wouldn't have been out there... she wouldn't have been at risk!” Runfaust snapped, but Nye didn't even flinch.

Ashewyn however got beside Nye, his gaze on his father. ”You know how Molly was dad. She could have been out there at any given time, she's always been at risk. No one could have predicted this. Listen to yourself, you sound like a raving lunatic!”

”...She-” Runfaust began, but was caught off quickly.

”-No. It's in the past, we can't help her now. Just like we can't do anything about Vex taking off to join the cult... If we keep focusing on this, someone else might not make it through this.”Ashewyn interrupted, motioning over to Pneuma.

”...” Faust seemed to understand the direness of this situation, and gave up on arguing with them. ”Alright, you win Ashewyn. Just... Just let me tell Pneuma about Vex, Understand?” He sighed, before going over to comfort Pneuma.

”Alright, if you think she can handle it.” Ashewyn replied, watching Runfaust walk from them.

”...Uh hey, thanks for that.” Miles timidly looked up to Nye and Ashewyn.

”It's fine. ” Nye patted Miles on the head, before looking to the redhead. ”Ashe, can I speak to you for a moment.” Nye inquired, taking him a distance from Runfaust.

”Miles? Is something wrong? I heard that fiend shouting again.” Minerva approached him, having been in the other end of the hideout with Talis and Djinn. Her eyes shiftily glanced Runfaust's way.

”Huh? Yeah, he's always like that with me. I'm fine. Though, we got a problem...” His words trailed off, as he glanced over to Nye and Ashewyn who got to a distance from them.

Nye was looking seriously to Ashewyn. ”The cult is expecting a counter attack, and deliberately invited us to their lair. We need to gather the others to figure out a strategy. The Cult is bound to have numbers and we're limited on allies.”

”Our new friends may be able to help with that.” Ashewyn stated, but he wasn't fully confident in tone, as if something was bothering him.

Nye brushed it off, assuming it had to do with what happened to Molliana. ”I was just thinking the same thing.” She replied, trying to avoid drudging up painful emotions in her friend.

Ashewyn seemed to pause for a moment, before glancing to her. ”Nye.” He almost hesitantly spoke up. ”Let me talk things over with Eclipse. She's in no condition to be on the battlefield, and moving her from that bed isn't the best idea while she's recovering.”

”I do have to agree. If we can at least get in contact with her forces, we should be able to handle our end in this discussion.” Nye crossed her arms, as she leaned against the nearby wall.

”I'll see about getting in touch with her contacts then while I'm at it.” Ashewyn replied, turning for the staircase.

”Alright. While you handle preparing that, I'll debrief everyone else on the situation.” Nye glanced to him.

”Sounds good.” He said, proceeding up the stairs. He glanced to the lower level as he was ascending to the upper level, seeing Nye having Miles help with gathering together the others.

Ashewyn continued up the stairs, passing by Zyron.

”What's going on?” The canine asked, skeptically.

”War's coming. You might want to head down for the debriefing, Fluffy. I need to check on Eclipse, but I'll join you guys in a bit here.” Ashewyn explained, proceeding to the room where Eclipse was.

Zyron seemed greatly concerned, but turned off to go get Solitaire, so they could join the meeting downstairs. Ashewyn gently opened the door to the room, before peering over to the wounded elf. She still laid in the bed resting, but her eyes opened as she heard Ashewyn draw near.

”You came back.” She spoke softly.

”I said I'd check in on you.” Ashewyn sat down at the foot of her bed, looking to Eclipse.

Eclipse smiled softly, before looking seriously to Ashewyn. ”I overheard yelling downstairs. Is everything alright?” She inquired, with concern.

”Not really. We just lost my sister to the cult.” Ashewyn lowered his head.

Eclipse tried to sit up, as she looked to him with furrowed brows. ”Maker... I'm so sorry... That's just terrible... Are you going to be alright?...”

”I'm more concerned about my mom honestly. She's taking this a lot harder than I am.” Ashewyn sighed. ”That's not the only thing though. These bastards deliberately invited us to their domain... There's only one outcome to this.”

”War?...” Eclipse spoke, as if reading his mind. Ashewyn turned to her again, listening as she continued to speak. ”Is there anything I can do to help?” She asked, leaning closer to Ashewyn, to place her hand on top of his. ”I remember the things you told me about those people.”

”No. I can't let you do that, you're still recovering. I rather you stay here, and have the other two stay to make sure you're alright. There's no telling what'll happen or if we'll even make it out alive at this point. They have us out numbered.” Ashewyn averted eye contact, retreating his hand from her touch.

”That's only more reason you shouldn't count me out. I can help you, Ashewyn. Please, just let me.” Eclipse softly pleaded with a concerned toned.

”Haven't you been hurt enough!? I'm not going to risk your safety like that!” Ashewyn snapped, startling Eclipse.

Both of them fell silent for a brief moment, but after a temporary pause, Eclipse made herself speak up. ”Why does my well-being matter so much to you?” She asked, in a hushed tone.

”You should get your rest.” Ashewyn got to his feet, turning off from her.

Eclipse quickly grabbed his hand, but his back remained turned to her. ”No matter what has happened since I met you, you've always been there to make sure I was safe. Why is that? Why are you always protecting me?” She asked, more stern in tone.

”Does it matter?”Ashewyn replied, without pause.